The RIGBEES are a band of refreshing and decidedly welcome contradictions. Songwriter/singer Steve Brown pens songs with the lyrical sensibility and introspective depth of 70's folk, but The Rigbees deliver them with the guitar-driven energy and melodic punch of the first wave of American indie/alternative bands. Think For Everyman-era Jackson Browne colliding with Document-vintage R.E.M. Then toss in touches of The Jayhawks, Tom Petty, Pete Yorn and Counting Crows. The Rigbees hail from Willow Grove, PA, a small suburb 15 miles due north of Philadelphia where 3 of the 4 members live within one block of each other. Physical proximity aside, the band members have diverse musical influences, backgrounds and credits to their name including: recording a CD for MCA/Refuge with Don Gehman (R.E.M., Hootie & the Blowfish, John Mellencamp), opening for bands as varied as Train, Live, Better Than Ezra, G Love & Special Sauce, Fuel, Blue Oyster Cult, Tenacious D and Conway Twitty, and playing on a song that went Top 10 in Portugal. The acoustic guitar is a cornerstone of the band's sound—no surprise, given Brown's admiration of wood-toting writers from Dylan and Springsteen to Jeff Tweedy and Ryan Adams—yet together (John Bicer on drums, Mitch Cojocariu on bass, Kevin Hug on guitar) the band weaves a dynamic sonic tapestry indicative of four kids weaned on classic rock and equally informed by the modern, punk, alternative, grunge and alt-country rock that followed. At the core, The Rigbees are four individuals focused on creating music together—regardless of style or category—that they feel is somehow both relevant and to be revelled in. The Rigbees second CD, Treading Water in an Angry Ocean was released in April 2006. Like their debut (2002's AM Radio Companion), it was recorded and produced by Bruce Rogers at Recovery Room studios in Willow Grove. TWIAAO was mastered by Scott Hull (John Mayer, Matthew Sweet, Garbage, McCartney, Dylan, Uncle Tupelo) and features 12 new original compositions along with a cover of Donovan's 1965 classic “Catch the Wind”—continuing the tradition of including a re-worked version of a 60's-era folk tune that began when the band put their stamp on Simon and Garfunkel's “Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall” for their debut. The Rigbees have enjoyed national FM airplay (over 150 stations) on the P.R.I.-syndicated World Café and solid support from numerous regional FM and college stations. Bellwether public radio station WXPN (www.xpn.org) in Philadelphia added their debut single “Chaos Rules” (from AM Radio Companion) to its regular rotation playlist—a true rarity for an independent release. The band is planning full radio promotion efforts for Treading Water in an Angry Ocean along with extensive 2006 performances in support of the new CD release. PRESS: “The Rigbees have the advantage of writing songs that are instantly recognizable melodically and stylistically, and there is more than one on AM Radio Companion; it’s an auspicious beginning.” - David Dye, PRI-syndicated World Café host & WXPN disc jockey “…a combination of bright-eyed earnestness, downright catchiness and genuine talent…wearing influences that could just as easily be Son Volt, Pearl Jam, Pete Yorn or all three. Guided by jangle and twang, the songs hold a contagious charm.” - Doug Wallen, Philadelphia Weekly “…a refreshing brand of pop rock…similar to Barenaked Ladies delivered with the stylistic veracity of the Counting Crows. Christopher Dilts, The Ticket “The songs are filled with infectious hooks and heartfelt, honest lyrics about standing tall in the face of all of life's day-to-day crap. If you're looking for musicians who get it—the way Bruce Springsteen gets it, the way John Hiatt gets it, the way Lucinda Williams gets it—check out the next Rigbees performance.” - Andy Vineberg, Bucks County Courier Times