Mild Winter Grows in Experience

The members of Mild Winter playing at their February CD release. (Photo: Tyler Grove)

Mild Winter is the next best thing in Indie Folk Rock. Comprised of three core members Melanie, Ben, and Nik, it combines multiple sounds that bring a feel-good listen together. The first EP was originally recorded with a different drummer and bassist, but these days Melanie hits on the violin, Ben rips on the guitar, and Nik finishes with drums and bass. Both Melanie and Ben do vocals, combining their voices to create some pretty cool harmonies.

Their first CD was titled Don’t Be Nervous. This was a test to see what different people thought of their sound, going around and asking friends for opinions on things that work and things that they could change. The album was completed in January 2007, and the band began doing concerts in March of that year. During this time, Nik joined the group and started helping them write songs.

The two frontrunners of the band, Ben and Melanie, got married in August of 2007. The planning of the wedding along with starting a new marriage put the band on hold for a while. Once they got into the flow of their lives, the band started to write more material for their CD. You can check out some mp3 files on their myspace page along with concert pictures and tour dates.

Their most recent album, titled A Wanderer’s Home, was released at EMU in February of this year. They played a crowded concert at Common Grounds and sold shirts and CDs. They plan a demo release for late May of this year as well. They will play Macrock this year in downtown Harrisonburg and at JMU. For more dates and samples of their upcoming songs, visit their myspace website, www.myspace.com/mildwinter.