Eli Conley is a Bay Area-based singer-songwriter with a voice that shifts deftly from country choirboy to soulful croon at the turn of a phrase. Steeped in Americana music and the singer-songwriter tradition, he crafts modern day folk songs for misfits from the raw material of his life as a queer man with Virginia roots. "Oh what gorgeous, soulful music!" raves roots music innovator Laura Love, "Eli Conley's writing and singing are exquisite." At The Seams is a soulful album that draws on a broad array of musical styles with classic folk and Americana instrumentation, highlighting Eli Conley's signature vocals, strong sense of imagery and captivating songwriting. With At The Seams, Eli embarked on his first studio recording in a project completely funded by his devoted fans. Propelled by an impressive 141%-funded Indiegogo campaign, Eli recorded at Empty Sea Studios in Seattle with producer Michael Connolly, whose list of credits include albums for Tylan (of Girlyman) and The Blackberry Bushes, as well as tours as a side musician with the Indigo Girls and as a performer with his own sultry roots trio, Coyote Grace. Michael’s breadth of experience made him a perfect choice to produce At The Seams: on the album he plays all the instruments that accompany Eli’s acoustic guitar, including dobro, bass, accordion and Rhodes piano. The arrangements are spare yet well-balanced, creating space for Eli’s songs to shine. The songs themselves span a wide range of themes, easily flowing between the personal and political while dancing artfully between genres. “Call You Out” features instantly catchy rhythms and is about a secret crush. “Dry as Sin” is a classic political folk ballad drawn from the mountain coal mines of Virginia where Eli finds his roots. The songs gently inhabit familiar ground— inviting comparisons to Steve Earle, Elliot Smith, Patty Griffin, Rufus Wainwright and Gillian Welch—but never dwell in one place for too long. As a result, the album has broad cross-genre appeal. Though Eli is a classically trained singer who began writing songs at the age of 16, it was only in 2010 that he made the shift to full time songwriter and musician, first gaining attention with his trio Eli Conley & Hip for Squares and their self-released EP, All the Livelong Day. Since that time he has gained a wildfire-like momentum, having been a featured performer at the San Francisco Queer Open Mic, the SF Transgender Film Festival and the SF Trans March in Dolores Park. Most recently, Eli opened for Grammy-winning singer Kimya Dawson at the Mount Tabor Theater in Portland for Project Believe in Me, a youth anti-bullying organization. He contributed his song “Pinocchio” to the project’s nationally distributed companion CD, along with Dawson and 11 other independent artists. Eli will be touring in support of the release in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and Southeast in late 2013 and into 2014. Reviews and Press "Oh what gorgeous, soulful music! It knocked off my easy chair. Eli Conley has a beautiful way of expressing himself. His writing and singing are exquisite." - Laura Love "It is impossible to listen to music of Eli Conley and not be moved. Eli is a folk singer/songbird whose lyrics and delivery conjure the spirit of Kerouac, move with the soul of Dylan, and land with the gravity of his profound personal experiences.His EP "All The Livelong Day" is a storytelling masterpiece that travels from the coal mines and prisons of Virginia to tumbling hillsides of his youth. It's not just masterful stories about the people he's met along the way, it teaches everyone something about themselves." - Joshua Klipp "By the time Eli finishes his last song, those listening will never be the same. And they won’t just have learned, and opened, and maybe felt home for the first time, they’ll never go back to where they were." - Original Plumbing "Conley, a classically trained singer, describes his sound as “country-tinged folk with a queer bite.” He compares himself to the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Patty Griffin, Sam Cooke and Dolly Parton “but with radical queer politics.” - Where the Girls Go "One of the Bay Area's most talented and prolific trans folk music heroes." - Original Plumbing "Eli Conley has a proposal: “Let’s crack up this geode they call boy and girl.” Conley’s song “Pinocchio” lays out his hope for a world that is less rigidly based on gender. In other songs, he writes about exploited workers, racial equity and other issues of social justice... He demonstrates a country-tinged folk style with pleasant vocal harmonies... Fans of Girlyman, a more established feminist band with gender-queer membership, also should like Conley’s trio." - Eugene Register-Guard Offering a rich, lively brand of neo-folk music, Hip for Squares skillfully challenges beliefs and boundaries, whether they be personal or political. The trio's EP, "All the Livelong Day" features beautifully arranged, buoyant harmonies, with songwriter Eli Conley's agile lead vocals blending impeccably with band mates Maia Wiitala and Talia Cooper. Driven by well crafted tales ranging from the coal mines of Conley's Virginia roots to the radical streets of Berkeley, Hip for Squares' unique style generates a tone that will resonate with every listener. – Caren Armstrong For more info, including how to join the mailing list, find out about upcoming shows, get song lyrics and read the blog, check out www.eliconley.com.