Brian Bonz is only 24, but in those years, he's seen the entire country and many parts of the world. Still, no matter where he travels, home is truly where the heart is for this Brooklyn native, which is why he has created a musical scrapbook of his life entitled The Triborough Odyssey. But make no mistake – although each song on the album was inspired by specific events and places that bind New Yorkers, all of the emotions on the record are universal. Like Bonz's debut album, From Sumi to Japan, The Triborough Odyssey is a refreshing compilation of experimental sounds with even more luscious arrangements. However, it was the likes of the Notorious B.I.G. and Nas who had the biggest influence on Bonz's goal for the new album. "It's sort of inspiring when you hear rappers drop the names of neighborhoods or sing about different places and you know what they're talking about," he says. "I wanted to apply that upbringing, that surrounding, and write-what-you-know-about aspect to this record." Although the album pays homage to New York, Bonz and his band, The Major Crimes, actually flew out to Chicago to record with John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) at his legendary Soma Electronic Music Studios. Accustomed to recording in his hometown and fine-tuning the sound in friends' basements, working with McEntire proved to be nothing short of enlightening. "It was a great experience to work with John and be put up to the challenge of recording with someone you don't have any back story with, and who has a history of records you enjoy," Bonz explains. "Listening to and hearing stuff back in that control room and being in the same studio that Wilco recorded some of their records, you sort of sit there and say, 'Oh, this is why we're working with this guy – because he makes Stereolab sound like Stereolab.'" Lyrically, Bonz was inspired by the 2003 Blackout, 9/11, Manhattan real estate and more, but each track also touches upon his ever-changing relationships. "The Honey Bee," the album's dreamy, doo-wop-inspired first single, is something that Bonz doesn't usually dabble with – a love song. "I'm not really into writing about girls or taking that personal aspect of my life and applying it to a song, but it's about dating someone that didn't grow up in New York and moved here," he reveals. "I feel like it's always interesting to get asked questions from people that are just discovering the city and re-situating their lives."

Great Elk is a rock band based in Brooklyn, NY, like most other rock bands. They will not apologize for having named their band for a woodland creature except this once: Sorry.
Great Elk is Paul Basile, Patrick Hay, Bryan Trenis, Tommy Harron and Adam Christgau.

"Music for falling in love in snowy weather." – The Deli

Great Elk's music is both disturbing and comforting, like meeting someone for the first time and discovering they know everyone you've ever loved. Their sound is the result of years of collaboration between primary songwriter Paul Basile, a New York native, and guitarist Patrick Hay, a Virginia transplant. Basile’s visceral, world-weary vocals and the lonesome wails of Hay’s guitar coalesce into a sound that is sometimes soothing, sometimes clamorous, but always engaging.