ABOUT THE UNION TRADE

Formed in San Francisco in the spring of 2006, The Union Trade consists of Don Joslin (guitar), Nate Munger (bass/vocals), Eric Salk (guitar /vocals), and Dan Rodkewich (drums). The Union Trade’s sound is the product of a collaborative writing style and mind-set, largely free of the barriers of role or instrument, that relies heavily on experimentation and reflection to find the feel of each song.

In early 2007, The Union Trade’s debut release, Now The Swell (Tricycle), offered the first concrete proof of the band’s potential. What began as just a demo, evolved into a full scale EP that put the band on the radar in San Francisco’s indie scene, and in the ears of national press. A snapshot of the band finding its sound, Now The Swell earned The Union Trade early accolades for its tight, emotional, and confident take on the post-rock genre.

With their first full-length release, Everyday Including (Tricycle), The Union Trade have bridged the gap between their instrumental-band inspirations, and a more vocals focused indie rock sound. This accomplished and cinematic album explores both sonic and human emotion as The Union Trade move in sweeping lines from dark and delicate beauty to soaring, triumphant peaks. Heavy, distorted guitars awash in delay are lifted by driving rhythms to create expansive melodies and lush textures anchored by the spare, evocative lyrics that narrate these songs with scenes of struggle and hope.

The Union Trade's new album "Everyday Including" will be out August 5th 2008 on Tricycle Records. (CD/Digital)

BAND MEMBERS

Don Joslin: Guitar
Nate Munger: Bass, Vocals
Eric Salk: Guitar, Vocals
Dan Rodkevich: Drums

REVIEWS

"Lofty, sweeping chords and the deliberate, steadfast pace of the Union Trade tell the tale of a band that eschews flair and fireworks for an intricate, drawn-out listening experience in the vein of Explosions in the Sky. Critics like to lash out against post-rock wanderers for their "long-winded" and "pretentious" takes on rock, but while San Francisco's Trade perform with no shortage of confidence, they guard against swimming into melodious abstraction on their tightly composed EP Now the Swell."

– SF Guardian

"Now The Swell’ demonstrates that The Union Trade are able exponents of widescreen alternative rock, falling somewhere between The Workhouse and ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ era U2."

– LosingToday Magazine

"San Francisco band The Union Trade’s debut EP opens with a beautiful post-rock number called “Strings Break.” The song’s main lyric, “She likes the sound your guitar makes,” which gets repeated throughout, couldn’t be more appropriate: in post-rock, lead guitar may be less about spectacle than feeling, but it’s still king. The title to the next song, “Violent and Beautiful,” is another example of good word choice. This one opens with a majestic swell of bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards before shifting to a more caustic mode after four minutes. After building to another grand crescendo, it comes to an abrupt stop just before the seven-minute mark. Next, the somber “Hopeless,” shows that the group can operate as a more traditional indie rock group, trading atmosphere and length for brevity and a focus on vocals.

The EP concludes with “Green Fields,” which feels like a blend of “Hopeless” and “Strings Break” and features some of the disc’s most inspired, head-nodding moments scattered among its nine drawn-out minutes. While the Union Trade are playing for a niche audience, they certainly prove they’ve got some skills. Fans of groups like Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky should investigate."

– Zero Magazine

"blends elements of shoegaze and post-rock into dense, melodic anthems..."

– The Bay Bridged

"The Union Trade are a young Bay Area foursome who craft mostly instrumental atmospheric post-rock a la Codeine, Mogwai and Slint. Yes, the 'quiet-loud-quiet' dynamics live on in this band! Occasionally a bit mathy and a bit trippy with lots of effected, distorted electric guitar textures. When vocals come into the picture, they're hushed and quite resemble those of Lou Barlow. A promising debut."

– Aquarius Records

"One of the most impressive facets of The Union Trade is their resounding ability to convey a strong emotion through sound. Even without lyrics, The Union Trade lays down a tone that sets the scene for a specific feeling. Add the vocal performance of the band’s vocalist, Eric Salk, and you’ve got something stark and emotive..."

– Just Press Play

"Like space cowboys, The Union Trade mix the melancholy melodies of alt-country with the psychedelic sound-wash of shoegaze, for a blend that moves seamlessly through genres and should please fans of everyone from Mogwai to the Jayhawks."

– The Deli SF

"The Union Trade's music is in turns beautiful, atmospheric and dark. Moving from the spare and intense, to the massive and dramatic, expansive guitar sounds collide as rich vocals emerge from the feedback and electricity, creating dense melodies and cinematic walls of sound"

– Tricycle Records