Awake In the City

You’re guys’ music is FREAKING AMAZING!!!! This is the ultimate working music - coding, writing, thinking, flying, whatever. Real instruments blended with electronica and pop sensibilities: awesome hooks, verses and choruses (unlike much chill and ambient). Wow, new favorite band but I’m so out of the loop because you guys have been around forever. Well, new fans can be created everyday right? Telling all my friends now...

Although I haven’t really covered The American Dollar on Headphone Commute in the past (I don’t think), I have been indeed listening to this NYC based duo since their debut in 2006. Back then, Richard Cupolo and John Emanuele self-released a self-titled debut which blended elements of ambient, shoegaze and post-rock into one sonic cocoon, in which I used to hide during the cold winter months. A year later, the group self-released The Technicolour Sleep, and on the following got signed to Yesh Music with the release of A Memory Stream. In 2009 I still kept up with The American Dollar’s release of Atlas. And since I’ve been meaning to write about The American Dollar, I might as well start with their very latest, Awake In The City. Cupolo and Emanuele compose acoustic textures with slight hints of electronic percussion, soaring guitars, and cinematic keys, the likes of which will appeal to fans of Lights Out Asia, Hammock, God Is An Astronaut, Epic45, Explosions In The Sky, The Album Leaf and Port-Royal. The major harmonics on the album leave you with a sense of well-being, ready to kick start a brand new project, or throw yourself into another busy day. This is a wonderful opening to my morning commute across the concrete jungle as pavement is brimming with sunlight and fumes. And although Awake In The City does not break any grounds in terms of evolution of sound, it does nevertheless feel like ‘home’ – and that’s a well desired attribute in music – that’s the one that makes me want to reach out for another spin again and again. File somewhere before emotional electronica and after the post-rock. Be sure to also check out the two compilations, Ambient One and Ambient Two available via The American Dollar’s bandcamp.

This band is pretty awesome I never thought I would be into instrumental with no music but these guys do a great job of taking your mind off of the day to day grind without overdoing it. It's absolutely the best band to study or read and relax too. I hope they continue doing this for a long time.

Never disappoints, highly recommend this album! Pick it up!

The American Dollar is my favorite band of all time. Their music has really changed my life in so many positive ways. None of their music ever gets old and I look forward to listening to them every day. This album like the rest is incredible. Every release they put out is better and better. I enjoy listening to other post rock/ambient rock, but the American Dollar is the hands down the best. I wish that these guys could get more recognition though...they deserve it. Extremely talented. This is more of a review of the band since I'm in progress of listening to the new album now. I plan on posting a full review of the album soon. Favorite songs so far :-) •Faces in the Haze •Heavy Eyes Ignite •First Day