Life In A Blender & Church Of Betty

Life in a Blender is a long-standing Brooklyn-based "chamber punk" band known for Don Rauf's blackly comic, story-driven lyrics and theatrical live performances featuring a cabaret-style energy and the occasional puppet. Formed in the mid-1980s, the veteran six-piece (featuring Al Houghton, Dave Moody, Rebecca Weiner Tompkins, Ken Meyer, and Mark Lerner) has released 10 albums blending punk, pop, and orchestral elements.   “ Their latest work (“Bent by the Weather”) takes their well-honed, intellectually minded sophisto-pop excursions to new heights...if you’re a fan of the story-telling likes of Pulp and Nick Cave, pay attention….These lifers may be tripping on their best work to date.”--The Big Takeover.   “ Fresh, bizarre, intricate, yet not afraid to be a little rude.”--D.W. Dunphy, Popdose   “ There’s a feeling of pure joy and devilishly playful aplomb evident in everything from the robust vocals to the gorgeously melodic and energetic arrangements.”--Joe Wawrzyniak, Jersey Beat   "Life in a Blender is simply one of those bands that make me realize that today we're able to find the most interesting/ inspiring music if we don't look for 'the' radio song (hit single) but for truly independent experienced unique quality in music.... Vive La Difference!" -- Lord Litter, deejay, Magic Musicbox, Berlin, Germany       Church of Betty : Composer Chris Rael loves to turn short story collections into song cycles. In 2011 he won the New York International Fringe Festival's composition award for Araby, which retold the stories of James Joyce's Dubliners in one song per story. Now, Church of Betty celebrates the release of their first album in ten years, a song cycle based on the short stories of Richard Yates entitled Eleven Kinds of Loneliness. A rock rhythm section with bowed string trio delivers Betty's trademark progressive-pop/avant-chamber style, with Chris Rael (voice & guitar), Rima Fand (voice & violin), Matthew Goeke (cello), Ina Litera (viola), Ethan Rosenblatt (bass) and Chris's son Sasha Rael on drums.