(04 September 2010) Vocalist Lauren Edman made her debut appearance here in association with the song "Afterthoughts" that she sang with Sleepthief on the Dawnseeker album (review). Read our interview with Lauren. The singer contacted us this month to tell us about a hew new project For Every Story Untold that she formed with Brian Caesar. She also shared their new EP entitled Hideout.

A lifelong musician, Edman had also made an appearance with Delta-S's Voyage to Isis. Caesar had previously been the bass guitarist for As Tall As Lions helping in the writing of the band’s debut album Lafcadio. Since his departure from the group in 2004, he had only picked up his bass for a handful of shows with other artists, and he began refocusing on writing songs with supernatural elements in mind.

Learning that they had similar backgrounds and shared a passion for huge melodic arrangements brought them to the conclusion that the two should collaborate. The first song they wrote together was "Hideout." The arrangement was derived from part of a score to a story that Caesar had written years ago. Edman took this background music and came up with a haunting vocal melody that gave the song new life. Caesar began recording other songs that he had written over the years, including the lyrical ghost stories "Mistakes We've Made" and "Getaway Soul."

For Every Story Untold's debut EP and title track share the name Hideout. The EP was released digitally and is envisaged to be part of the run up to a full length album. Arrangments for the title track are lush with a thick electronic feel. Lauren Edman's voice could have been placed higher in the mix but nonetheless glides atop the instrumentals and her backing vocals add lovely texture to the downtempo number.

The band uses keyboards and thick guitar layers to create the foundation for "From Under Paris." Here Caesar multitracks Lauren's voice to add the thickness necessary to favorably compete with the arrangement. Lauren's additional vocal layers contribute further depth to the sound of the evocatively delivered track. Guitars glisten alongside the singer's successful excursion into the upper end of her range.

In sharp contrast, "Mistakes We've Made" is a delicate ballad sung in a more whispy style against very light acoustic guitar backed with ever so gentle keyboard textures that build up and drop back through the cinematic running time of the song. Lauren clearly holds herself back in the verses building tension that she ultimately releases in the chorus.

The EP concludes with the dynamic rock-oriented track "The Wolf That Bit Me." Lauren's lead vocals are crystalline, strong and powerful rising up above the shimmering electric guitar arrangement. Her backing vocals are equally extraordinary. Here the producer has done a tremendous job placing Lauren's vocal work well up in the mix, right where female vocal enthusiasts like them.

The Hideout EP is available digitally at many online outlets including amazon.com (see link below). Listen to the tracks at the band's MySpace. For Every Story Untold likely have a bright future and will garner interest not only from Sleepthief, Delierum and Conjure One enthusiasts but from New York area audiences that are becoming increasingly familiar with their work. We'll be sure to review the album when it is released.