The NYC based duo Soda Shop -- Drew Driver and Maria Usbeck -- are set to release their self-titled debut album this September on Velvet Blue Music. The album was recorded at their home studio in Brooklyn and mixed by Jorge Elbrecht (Ariel Pink). The eight track album worships clean guitar tones, driving bass lines and uptempo beats, a la early Smiths records and Maria's voice adds an airy-ness to the melodies, furthering an early 4AD vibe.
No stranger to the music scene, Drew (who is originally from Ohio) spent his early days in NYC playing guitar for The Drums and Maria (who hails from Ecuador) fronted the buzz band Selebrities. The two met by chance in Brooklyn in the summer of 2010. "I had some demos and a band name, but I couldn't find the right person to sing on them." Drew recalls. "Fate led me to Maria. We met at a crowded summer Air France DJ show and talked about music I was making. I invited her to listen to the demos and things immediately clicked!" The two bonded over a shared experience of starting over in an exciting, transient city. When they discovered they lived a brisk ten minute walk from one another, their friendship solidified and they began writing songs immediately. They released their debut single "Farewell" in January 2011 on Shelflife Records.Videos