"Lush, jaunty, and smooth" (TimeOutNY), the Brooklyn-based pop-rock band Tryst produces melodic, well-crafted pop based on Cohan's witty and thoughtful lyrics and Highstone's airy harmonies. Their influences range from little-known Eighties bands from the UK (Prefab Sprout, Deacon Blue) to the more current sounds of Belle & Sebastian, The Decemberists, Fountains of Wayne, and Magnetic Fields. The band's first EP, produced by Fountains' Chris Collingwood and mixed by Ivy's Andy Chase, was followed by regular performances on the New York pop scene. The band then began to travel extensively, punctuated by return shows in NY (Mercury Lounge, Southpaw, Pianos, Sin-é); over three years the band played numerous shows in Paris, London, Dublin, and most recently Tokyo. Tryst released their 2nd album, "Kids of Big Stars," in December 2003. The album garnered significant rotation on college radio stations on the East Coast and Midwest, the praise and attention of indie press, and a growing audience from New York to Tokyo. On June 14th 2005, Tryst's third album, "Hotel Two-Way" (MH Records) was released. Tryst celebrated with a special release show at Pianos in Manhattan on June 18th and is playing a series shows across the East Coast. The CD will be available on itunes, and through internet and retail outlets. About "Hotel Two-Way" Hotel Two-Way is Tryst's best album to date. All tracks have Tryst's catchy choruses and haunting harmonies, and range from the punchy, southern-rock-flavored "Alexis," to the upbeat pop classic "Hotel Two-Way," to the all-acoustic Jessica, whose lyrics are loosely based on the story of Private Jessica Lynch. For this album, front man and producer Cohan enlisted the assistance of the New York "Loser's Lounge" violinist Claudia Chopek, whose haunting string arrangements on the acoustic numbers recall Robert Kirby's instrumentation for Nick Drake's Bryter Layter. Guitarist McIlvain outdoes himself with unforgettable hooks, particularly on "Balthasar's Song" and the title track, "Hotel Two-Way." "Abigail," in which the narrator sings into his boss's voicemail, was mixed by Mike Viola of the New-York-based Candy Butchers. The title track comes from the name of a Tokyo "love hotel;" when the band was in Tokyo they would refer to these quaint short-stay hotels to explain to their hosts what a "tryst" is. The album was recorded at Hoex Studios in Albany, near Cohan's home town of Saratoga Springs. Mike Viola of The Candy Butchers mixed "Abigail" and added vocals to "Still."