My record Bittersweet Parade was recently featured on The Music Critic UK as the August 2010 Album of the Month! These are some of the kindest words I’ve ever heard toward my music and much needed at this time. Please read the review below and feel free to leave your own here.

Tyler Stenson: Bittersweet Parade – Album of the Month – August 2010

Every so often you get an album through to review that kinda takes you by surprise. In Tyler Stensons case the surprise is that he is not a bigger name than he is. The singer songwriter from Portland is a well known face on the cities local music scene but Stenson comes equipped for bigger things. The music is simple yet mesmerisingly beautiful and the voice distinctive, full of warmth, expression and with an aching sorrow in it at times. I’ve never heard of Stenson before this album but he has been a productive boy with a clutch of albums and ep’s before this release with some glowing reviews to boot.

The music is primarily acoustic and flirts with folk, Americana and bluegrass but it is none of these. Instead it takes on a pop element without being poppy. Confusing I know but suffice to say that the songwriting is of a quality that the like of Ryan Adams and Jackson Browne would struggle to match. This is beautiful, heartfelt and honest music that is performed with a conviction and passion that is simply irresistible.

Straight from the start you are in no doubt that you are listening to something very special. Opener Welcome The Change introduces a confident voice comfortable with intelligent lyrics that draw the listener in rather than patronising them and all set to a deceptively simple melody that is underpinned by driving acoustic guitar and flashes of mandolin. The Road is no less of a masterpiece, in fact there is nothing on this album for anyone to remotely dislike. The production is equally as impressive as the music, enveloping the whole album in a warm glow with space to allow the instrumentation to breath.

On an album of this quality it is hard to pick out individual tracks for praise but if pushed I would have to say that As The Crow Flies is a particular favourite. In fact I am struggling to think of when I have ever heard such a beautiful and mesmerising piece of music as this. It is a remarkable song and quite breathtaking.

This is by far one of the most accomplished and beautiful albums that I have ever heard and Tyler Stenson has produced something that he should be justifiably proud of. I seriously can’t believe that this man is not a star as he has proved with this album that he is in every sense of the word. I can’t recommend this album enough. Seriously…. buy it.

Read more: http://www.themusiccritic.co.uk/2010/07/tyler-stenson-bittersweet-parade-album.html#ixzz0upVEVE91

I was quite honored today when I logged on to Facebook to find an invite for a group titled: Tyler Stenson’s “Wyoming” Should Be the Official State Song. I had no idea this group had been formed but I must admit, I have zero objection to the cause. I’m truly honored that my song has made the impact that it has and I’m humbled that others would even attempt to get it recognized on a larger level.

I suppose the attention began last summer when I performed my song about Wyoming at the Oyster Ridge Music Festival in Kemmerer, WY — the song, it seemed, received a beaming appreciation from the crowd and this Facebook group is the result.

That said, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be returning to the Oyster Ridge Music Festival this year where I’ll be kicking off the festivities with a special first-of-its-kind Thursday night showcase on July 29th. I just found out about this performance so as usual, I’m very excited to return to my place of birth — Wyoming.

WYOMING

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Tyler Stenson @ the Oyster Ridge Music Festival
Thursday July 29th, 2010
Kemmerer, WY

Please do me the honor of joining Tyler Stenson’s “Wyoming” Should Be the Official State Song. May this group take us places!

In February I received a very kind write-up in The West Linn Tidings — my hometown’s weekly newspaper. Centered around the release of my new album Bittersweet Parade, writer Nicole DeCosta documented the evening of my release party in grand fashion.

FULL ARTICLE:

STENSON’S HOMECOMING is BITTERSWEET
West Linn Tidings – February 4, 2010 – Nicole Decosta

West Linn High School graduate Tyler Stenson released a CD this month titled Bittersweet Parade and features 11 songs. He recently played at the Crystal Ballroom.

Dimmed lights revealed a packed room of preppy-dressed twentysomethings facing a corner stage. And when Tyler Stenson – with his guitar and dressed in his signature blue jeans – strummed his first chord, the chattering fell silent. Some hushed listeners closed their eyes as Stenson’s biographical lyrics transported them into his head for an hour.

On Jan. 21, singer/songwriter Stenson released his latest album Bittersweet Parade to a packed house of friends, family and some that found his music online and wandered over to see what the parade was outside Lola’s Room beneath the Crystal Ballroom in Portland.

“It’s my birthday and he’s hot,” said Portland resident Anne Kelton, who hadn’t heard the West Linn graduate’s music live before the event.

The line snaking onto West Burnside Street brought many passerby to ask “who’s playing?”

Stenson – voted several times as Portland’s Songwriter of the Year – moved from Portland to Nashville, Tenn. In October to “take his talent to a bigger stage,” as his web site states. His well-received homecoming introduced attendees to Bittersweet Parade, with the same mellow, straightforward poetry set to sounds as his previous release See That Gleam.

On this special night, Stenson’s soft vocals floated through the room with help from his live band. The ambiance was gentle, honest and a year in the making.

“The band is super-dynamic. He’s got great vocals. It’s an honor to see him in Portland,” said Portland resident Maggie Brown whose boyfriend, Jake Oken-Berg, played piano on the CD.

Stenson isn’t just a musician, but a songwriter – he doesn’t just write words that sound cool with music, he unleashes his soul. His passion for the craft can make for sleepless nights, as he documents on his favorite song the album titled I Get No Sleep, inspired by a time when he lived and worked in Portland near a noisy train track.

“I get no sleep with these trains in my head / As far as I can see, I’ve got tracks running down both sides / It started as a steady hum / Became a war-time drum / And eventually North and Southbound collide.”

As Stenson introduces new audiences across the country to his sound, he savors his unique songwriting and isn’t afraid to adapt to his new surroundings, as reminded on Welcome the Change.

“I’m in love with the stars because I envy how they hang / As constant constellations in an ever-changing space / I’ve been alive for one instant and I can already feel me fade / Unlike them, I’ve begun to blend like one color against the same / And that ain’t me.”

For more information and to purchase the album visit www.tylerstenson.com. To watch videos with Stenson explaining the songwriting process for each song on the album visit http://www.youtube.com/user/landerband.

This video was recently sent to me by my good friend Jeff who has been raising his son right. Last seen in a Lander onesie, this cute kid has been listening to my newest album and, I’m proud to say, he’s even singing along!

The video you’re about to watch is of my youngest fan singing the chorus of my song Welcome the Change. Though it may not be entirely articulate, the lyric is “So, I welcome the change.” Thanks Jeff for the video and raising the boy well.

For your reference, here is the song in its entirety. Enjoy.

WELCOME THE CHANGE

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I was recently contacted by a new-found fan in the UK that was having trouble ordering my new album Bittersweet Parade from CD Baby. Not sure what the issue was but after going back and forth one-too-many times, we finally worked out a deal where he paid via PayPal and I sent him the album personally.

As you can see, he surprised me by documented the delivery and is currently listening to my new record all the way across the ocean — hopefully spreading the word as he goes.

If you’re from anywhere in the world that bars you from purchasing my new album from iTunes or CD Baby, feel free to contact me personally and I’ll make sure you get ahold of Bittersweet Parade — signature and all.

I am proud to announce that I’ve written a song about Wyoming — the last good plot of land. It has been included as track #11 on my newest album Bittersweet Parade and I couldn’t be happier. Hear it and see it below!

BUY/DOWNLOAD WYOMING HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

WYOMING

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO

LIVE PERFORMANCE

LYRICS TO “WYOMING” by TYLER STENSON

The world started to run
With the turning of the sun.
Cities rose from towns
And quiet turned to sound.
That place stayed the same;
That’s Wyoming.

So, the legends say
That explorers tried to explain-
But the beauty that they found
Was too much to write down.
So, in fiction,
They believed to be Wyoming.

Where the clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But we don’t mind,
Because all of the sweetest smells remains.

I know Adam’s never seen such a scene
(In neither Eden or his dream).
Even Eve would stop to stare
At God’s most perfect square.
That’s one thing I believe;
He made Wyoming.

Where the clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But we don’t mind,
Because all of the sweetest smells remains.

All the years hang on the wind
Above this last good plot of land.
I hear it echo in the trees.
I hear its whisper on my knees.
Even Dust can be a king
In Wyoming.

Yes, even Dust can be a King,
In Wyoming.

BUY or DOWLOAD WYOMING HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Wyoming – track #11 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

BUY/DOWNLOAD WYOMING HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

WYOMING

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO

LIVE PERFORMANCE

LYRICS TO “WYOMING” by TYLER STENSON

The world started to run
With the turning of the sun.
Cities rose from towns
And quiet turned to sound.
That place stayed the same;
That’s Wyoming.

So, the legends say
That explorers tried to explain-
But the beauty that they found
Was too much to write down.
So, in fiction,
They believed to be Wyoming.

Where the clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But we don’t mind,
Because all of the sweetest smells remains.

I know Adam’s never seen such a scene
(In neither Eden or his dream).
Even Eve would stop to stare
At God’s most perfect square.
That’s one thing I believe;
He made Wyoming.

Where the clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But we don’t mind,
Because all of the sweetest smells remains.

All the years hang on the wind
Above this last good plot of land.
I hear it echo in the trees.
I hear its whisper on my knees.
Even Dust can be a king
In Wyoming.

Yes, even Dust can be a King,
In Wyoming.

BUY or DOWLOAD WYOMING HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Fight til Dying Day – track #10 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

FIGHT TIL DYING DAY

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON!!

LYRICS TO “FIGHT TIL DYING DAY” by TYLER STENSON

As long as there has been a song, I’ve felt it in my bones
It was a gift from my dear mother and her father who passed on
A long line of the Music Makers and of Soldiers for the Muse.
Oh, that boy in my war fell out of tune as he fell upon a couple grenades.
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

I crossed into California with a smile upon my face
But then I soon left San Francisco with my tail between my legs.
I swear, I was good as I could be on any given time of day
Still, that boy in my war saw the beach burn and the earth quake like a grenade.
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

He’ll blow like leaves in the wind
But be proud just to know that he can be his own man-
Not that boy.

I burned a bridge in the desert and left Arizona northbound
And thought If it’s not in Salt Lake, is it Oregon to be found?
On certain nights all the notes were bright and on others they would fade
And that boy in my war called out to god: Tell Hell with all the grenades!
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

He’ll blow like leaves in the wind
But be proud just to know that he can be his own man-
Not that boy.

Now, every time I sing, it’s just my confidences wearing thin
So I have to believe this lonely road will bring ‘em back again.
I’m as good as I can be on every given time of day
Oh, that boy in my war will no doubt rise in spite of a couple grenades.
That boy in my war is still alive and he’ll fight ‘til Dying Day.

BUY or DOWLOAD FIGHT TIL DYING DAY HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

I recently posted a number of videos that promote my new album Bittersweet Parade by discussing and explaining the behind the scenes perspective. I’m taking each song, one-by-one and giving it some time in the spotlight. Enjoy the collective media behind Blush – track #9 off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

BLUSH

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EXPLANATION

MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON!!

LYRICS TO “BLUSH” by TYLER STENSON

It’s a sign;
A sign of a temperature rise
That spreads across your face
And in an instant you know what love is like.

When the skin colors crimson and rose
And it burns your eyes
And crawls on your face
In disguise as this thing called Blush.

Underneath our clothes
We are just heart and bone-
The rest is empty space
But we can fill it,
When from the inside we grow like Butterflies

And the skin colors crimson and rose
And it burns your eyes
And crawls on your face
In disguise as this thing called Blush.

Don’t rush me now.
I could stay this way all day.

When the skin colors crimson and rose
And it burns your eyes
And crawls on your face
In disguise as this thing
That comes up rushing love to the head
And is nothing more than proof we’re alive-
We are in orbit-
And with blood-red cheeks,
I could break at the seems
And the insides of me
Could float on above everything.

BUY or DOWLOAD BLUSH HERE: http://www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2

Happy Valentines Day one and all. This is a special day for many reasons but to me, none more important than the fact that it’s the one-year anniversary of the completion of my song The Road.

Yep, exactly one year ago I put the pen to paper and navigated my way through the new song. Though I tweaked a few lines over the months to follow, it was written, roughly recorded and given as a Valentines Day gift to a loved one on Feb 14 2009.

In celebration of the one-year anniversary, below are the 2 versions of the song … separated by one very long year.

THE ROAD (Feb 14 2009)

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THE ROAD (Feb 14 2010)

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Time is a funny thing. This song has taken on a whole new meaning across the last year and what was originally written as a private Valetine’s Day confession has become the promoted single off of my new album Bittersweet Parade.

If you enjoy this track, it is up for consideration to be included on the KINK.FM Plug in Portland Sampler. This is a vote based contest, so I would endlessly appreciate your support by voting here.