Source: Access Magazine, July/August 1997
I recently had the honour of being one of the first 'outsiders' to hear the new Tea Party album, Transmission, at a small listening session hosted by the band at singer Jeff Martin's studio/loft. Martin recorded much of the new album at home in the historic, centuries-old building and he's especially proud of the drum sound he was able to get by setting up Jeff Burrows' kit in an unused section on the first floor under his living room. It was a bit odd for me, hearing this brand-new music, some of it still unmastered, at 1:00 a.m., sitting next to the band members in the building where the music was actually created -- but it was an experience I'll never forget.
Transmission will turn out to be a landmark album for The Tea Party: richly textured, dark but accessible and one of the best CD's of the year. It hit stores as the band headed out on the Edgefest tour as a warmup for a major concert tour this fall. You'll be hearing and reading a lot more about this band and the new album in the months ahead.
Neil Kushnir, Music Director, CHOM 97.7 FM