When an octopus loses one of its eight arms, it regrows the missing appendage

in a matter of weeks. This mysterious capacity for creativity and rejuvenation

under the sea symbolically presents itself again and again in the songs of Dead

Reckoning, the take-no- prisoners debut Wicked Cool Records album by

Soraia being released October 13.

“Dead Reckoning is a nautical term meaning that you know where you are in the

ocean based not on your location on a map but on where you've already been,”

says Soraia singer ZouZou Mansour. “I may not know exactly where I'm

headed, but these lyrics are all about who I am today — the good, bad and ugly.”

Tracing threads beginning with the ’60s soul of Stax and Motown, borrowing

flickers of luminescence from rock icons such as Patti Smith and Joan Jett as

well as Iggy Pop and The Cramps, through kindred spirits of the ’90s and

beyond like PJ Harvey and The Kills, the primal sounds of this Philadelphia-

based four-piece provide a formidable match for a set of mostly autobiographical

songs that lead listeners through the depths of desperate situations and guide

them out the other side to redemption.

“Music had already saved me from several suicide attempts by the time I was 15,

when the lyrics to songs spoke to me and revealed I wasn’t alone in my

suffering,” ZouZou reveals. “I knew by that age I was going to do music for a

living.

“I lived a long time feeling a victim of things: life, people, situations. Powerless. I

finally realized I needed connection. That’s where empowerment comes in. My

story is about bringing myself back to who I was always meant to be, which

required commitment and action. It took action to change my life. And when I

committed to and believed in that action, I asked for help where I needed it and

continue to check myself and stay humble.”

After escaping some harrowing situations and getting sober, the pursuit of

ZouZou’s musical dreams began crystallizing in the band Soraia.

“Soraia is actually my birth name,” she says, “but we want it to be how the band

is known, because it’s another name for the constellation Pleiades, and generally

is taken to mean bright, guiding force or star. Our magic and energy emulate that

idea, so it is no longer just the name but a group and the hope and purpose

behind what we do. The idea is to give light.”

Surrounding ZouZou with boundless talent are bassist and frequent co-writer

Travis Smith (“resilient, passionate, with a gift for writing the catchiest riffs I’ve

heard from anyone, ever”), guitarist and musical director Mike Reisman (“plays

like someone with three times his experience and keeps us centered”) and

drummer Brianna Sig (“plays with reckless abandon and precision”).

“What makes the sound of Soraia,” says ZouZou, “is we all are huge fans of the

same legendary artists and bring these strong influences to the table: Travis’ love

of The Misfits and garage rock of the ’60s versus my love of melody and pop,

along with influences such as Queen and Led Zeppelin.”

The band made waves with their punked up cover of The Kinks’ “(I’m Not) Like

Everybody Else,” which hit #1 on rock radio in South America in 2013. Their last

independently released album In The Valley Of Love And Guns featured five

songs the band co-wrote with Jon Bon Jovi.

By this point, the energy emanating from the Soraia constellation had already

reached the eyes and ears of renowned tastemaker Steven Van Zandt (The E

Street Band, The Sopranos), the Wicked Cool mastermind who has eagerly

bestowed Coolest Song In The World honors on five of their tracks since 2013,

including his #1 pick of 2016, “Electrocutioner.” They’ve consistently earned

heavy rotation on Steven’s weekly syndicated radio show and SiriusXM channel

Little Steven’s Underground Garage. Dead Reckoning’s leadoff track

“Quicksand” already enjoyed Coolest Song honors in mid-summer 2017.

Longtime Rolling Stone editor David Fricke has also attested to his fandom,

testifying, “Searing guitars, burning soul and true CBGB grit: Soraia are the rock

you need, in your face right now.”

The group made the trek up the New Jersey Turnpike in early 2017 to record

Dead Reckoning at Van Zandt’s Renegade Nation Studios in downtown New

York City. Steven personally produced two of the tracks, one that he wrote for

them (“Why”) and the other an obscure Prince cover, “Wow.” The band co-

produced the rest of the record with the guidance of Geoff Sanoff [Fountains Of

Wayne, Dashboard Confessional]. Finishing touches were provided by

boldface studio names: mixes for the Steven-produced tracks by Bob

Clearmountain [Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones] and mastering by

Bob Ludwig [David Bowie, Neil Young].

As the next release in Wicked Cool Records’ partnership with The Orchard as

distributor, Dead Reckoning positions Soraia as an artist to watch. Their rising

ambitions are reflected in new horizons they’re setting out to conquer, such as

their first European shows, slated for Spain and Germany

Blackmoonmistress@gmail.com loud heavy rock and roll available for all your court case victory parties, baby christening and stripper and biker events.

Eric Brewer has pursued all aspects of his instrument during his career as a guitarist from electrified rock, to jazz, funk, blues, acoustic, country, classical, and all points in between. His band, Eric Brewer and Friends, consists of bassist Ralph Reitinger, drummer Steve Barone, and keyboardist Charlie Meyer. The members have developed a remarkable onstage rapport, propelling the band’s improvisational element to extraordinary heights. The band draws inspiration from a huge list of influences, mixing guitar based rock, jazz, funk and fusion to create a jam band style that is uniquely their own.

Based in Erie PA, the band has performed throughout the region and developed an ever-growing fan base along the way. In keeping with the jam band status quo, the band changes up their set list with each performance, often segueing songs seamlessly to keep the momentum alive and the surprises rolling. The band also displays incredible versatility depending on the venue they’re playing, from a subdued, instrumental-only gig at a small jazz club, to a raucous, rocking set complete with vocals at a large outdoor amphitheater. At an Eric Brewer & Friends show, expect the unexpected.

No member is a stranger to the Erie music scene, and the band’s internal connections should not go unnoticed:

-From 1999-2004, Meyer (with Secret Agent Band), Barone (with Frog Tree Gorge Band) and Reitinger (with The Decibels) all played several shows together.

- Brewer, Reitinger and Barone played together in the funk/progressive rock band Spooner from 2004-2008.

- Meyer and Reitinger performed in the Latin jazz group Mambo.

-Barone and Meyer studied jazz under director John Marszalek at General McLane High School.

-Brewer and Reitinger played with blues band Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle.

In other words, these guys have been “Friends” for years, and it shows!

At each performance, Eric Brewer & Friends draw praise from both audiences and peers. This is evident in the band’s numerous Rock Erie Music Awards: All four members have won REMA’s in their respective instrumental categories, and the band won ‘Erie’s Favorite Jam Band’ for three consecutive years. In addition to headlining their own shows, they have enjoyed opening for internationally known guitarists Neil Zaza and Tim Reynolds, and have shared the stage with bass legend Tony Grey.

In 2012, the band decided to take the next step in their evolution by heading into the studio to record their first full-length album, Seeing Sideways. Spearheaded by producer/engineer Michael Graham and mastered by Grammy winner David Yost, the album is a perfectly honed sonic adventure that runs a bit counter to their typical live experience; Songs are shorter and more concise, while still retaining the instrumental (and vocal!) fireworks the band is known for. Seeing Sideways was released in March 2013 and is available at all the band's live shows and is downloadable on itunes, CD Baby, and www.ericbrewerandfriends.com.