EPK
On a foundation of crunchy drums, swirling keyboards and surf guitar psychedelia, Eastern Souvenirs crafts songs about love, distance and daydreaming that ooze with summer nostalgia.
“A melodic dreamscape...”
- AMERICAN SONGWRITER
Photography by Zhaun Frias
Full-Length Album
Virtual Life
Out June 24th, 2022
Lineup (live):
Vocals/Guitar/Synth - Brian Fisher
Electric Guitar - Sam Slebodnick
Bass - Edwin Aquilar
Drums - Hector Saint-Hilaire
Bio:
Before bedroom pop became a full-fledged genre of music, songwriter/producer Brian Fisher created Eastern Souvenirs out of necessity with the dissolution of prior math rock band (Us On Roofs) and no option but to create music with whatever means were available. In this case, the means were Apple’s Garageband, a microphone and a bunch of exotic percussion instruments.
With a rotating cast of guest friends who make guest appearances on recordings and live performances, Eastern Souvenirs moved beyond the bedroom and took to the stage creating indie pop with a unique blend of exotic loops and samples. Originally based in Seattle, WA, Eastern Souvenirs has played some of its biggest festivals like Capitol Hill Block Party and Upstream and most iconic clubs like Neumos, Chop Suey and the Crocodile. Eastern Souvenirs released its debut album in 2017 on Seattle-based indie label Big Bldg Rcrds, which garnered regular airplay from 1077 The End and KEXP and rave reviews from local press.
Since 2019, Eastern Souvenirs relocated to Boston, MA and has since released another EP (Getting There, 2019 via Big Bldg Rcrds) and a second full-length album (Only For A Time, 2020 via Big Bldg Rcrds) and continued to evolve as a solo project based on drum machines and live looping.
Eastern Souvenirs 3rd full length album “Virtual Life” is scheduled for release this summer 2022. This album shows a full transformation from bedroom pop to a fully realized rock band without completely throwing out the synthesizers or abandoning the escapist, tropical sound design that has come to define the aesthetic. It truly feels like a band and not just a concept. The album showcases lush production and resonant songwriting that captures the strange virtual world we’re living in and the constant struggles of trying to find direction in the COVID-era where life and priorities have been upended and rearranged.
Press
“A melodic dreamscape, even the cover image for this song makes me want to strip away everything about my day-to-day life and dive into the ocean of some other existence.” - AMERICAN SONGWRITER
“…would make a great soundtrack for your next day trip to the beach—windows down, sun shining, waves crashing, and those slow, sweet guitar riffs accompanied by Fisher’s soothing vocals.” - THE WILD HONEY PIE
“Between the yellow dotted lines of the road and the steadfast beat of the drum, Eastern Souvenirs shifts between playfully unrestrained rhythms and introspective lyrics that make Only For A Time a timeless album for every season or a pandemic.” [Album Review]- SOUND OF BOSTON
“Brains behind this operation, Brian Fisher, has expertly crafted a grooving and altogether soothing pop number [On a Train] perfect for a coastal drive or chill hang with friends. I think you’ll find yourself getting into the beat and letting your worries wash away.” - AUSTIN TOWN HALL
“Eastern Souvenirs boasts a surprisingly full, lush sound. Eastern Souvenirs cherry-picks from expansive guitar anthems and deeply funky rhythms, with shimmering songs that sound like a merger of heart-on-sleeve new wave and Built to Spill’s epic guitar hooks.” -ARTIST HOME
"Electronic music and acoustic instruments have always been able to coexist when merged with capable hands and Seattle producer/songwriter Brian Fisher has struck that balance with his project Eastern Souvenirs" -KEXP BLOG (FULL INTERVIEW)
"The light, catchy melodies will go perfectly with the summer energy we long for all year, and the melancholy subject matter accurately captures the season’s bittersweet, nostalgic tinge" - SEATTLE WEEKLY
"Beirut-esque shoe-gaze? Sounds too good to be true, we know, but Seattle-based Eastern Souvenirs, is making it a reality. Born from a wide array of instruments brought home from trips abroad, the project has a uniquely relaxing yet invigorating sound." -THE WILD HONEY PIE
"The sound is decidedly percussive, feeling distantly European against American indie rock guitar lines. It's the push and pull of cultures that makes Eastern Souvenirs such an interesting concept" - PREAMP BLOG