Hadley Transfer Station was a short-lived and largely unknown Northampton, MA band formed in an effort to present the songs of James Smola, one of the founding members (as well as bass player and co-songwriter) of King Radio.  The band featured Smola on vocals and acoustic guitar, Joshua Thayer (Fancy Trash) on bass guitar, Aaron Muller (Love Minus Zero, Slumberland) on electric guitar and backing vocals, and Dave Trenholm (King Radio) on drums.

Brave Tiger has recently unearthed several boxes of the band's overlooked full-length CD and is excited to offer the album for sale for the first time anywhere (unless you count 5 copies that may still be lying around Turn it Up somewhere). 

The band got their feet wet with an EP, played a few shows at the Bowling Alley and The Hadley Pub, then hunkered down in the basement of a dentist office with a computer, a few microphones, and some bootleg recording software to try their hand at making their first (and, unbeknownst at the time, last) full-length, East of the River.  The record filled out the sound of the band by adding a few guests -- most notably John Lebhar on pedal steel, David Gibson on cello, and Jim Armenti on fiddle.

By the time the record was complete, the band was no more.

The resulting recording showcases some talented songwriting in a stripped-down, rootsy musical landscape.  Alterna-twang country, or whatever you want to call it, that's equal parts Townes Van Zant, Lyle Lovett, and Bruce Springsteen that wound up being a big ol' ball of promise with nowhere to roll.

ARTIST'S RENDERING

Discography | catalog | audio

#BT-HT01 | EAST OF THE RIVER | CD, released 1999