The Echo Falls

The Echo Falls debut album released on 11/17/09.

There's been a lot of great press so far.

Click on the link to read more....

"I just love the compositions, I love the subtlety of this music, it's a great trio -- and I think people are going to like it."

San Francisco Chronicle

"The 11 songs on this album are all acoustic gems, graced with exquisitely subtle instrumentation and Mandel's soft tenor."

East Bay Express

Lovely, gentle, introspective — this local folk-rock trio makes marvelously subtle music. Comprised of musicians trained at Juilliard and Oberlin, with one member who works with the SF Symphony and another whose day job is scoring movies for Pixar, the accomplished group of pros showcases its mellow, slightly wistful sound on its self-assured debut album.

Relix Magazine (Dec/Jan 2010)

Consisting of a trio featuring Alex Mandel, a musician who has scored short films for Pixar, The Echo Falls launches his name into the bulging singer-songwriter bag with an invigorating debut. elIntimate set pieces circle the complexities of modern life ("Watchtower", "Fire Down Below"), reassuring reflections rooted in optimism ("Every Second Thought", "There is Time Enough"), the depth of thoughts about fatherhood ("Little One") and a confident promise to a friend, a lover, hell, just plain old you and me ("You Still Have It All"). Mandel is accompanied by David Arend on double bass and David Brandt on drums, vibraphone and vocals -- and they do an admirable job of helping Mandel find a way to express his own cinematic mind films.

The Big Takeover

"The Bay Area is 375 miles from L.A.'s Laurel Canyon, but the 70's singer-songwriter bug must have migrated northwest, where it infected Alex Mandel. The Oberlin-trained Pixar Films scorer's voice sounds like a less nasal Damon Albarn (Blur) or Greg Lake of Emerson Lake & Palmer without the British accents....and there's even a Beatles nod....But his trio's acoustic folk pop is purely of that popular, confessional variety that emanated from the mountains behind Sunset Blvd before real estate values skyrocketed....this is quite nice.

-Jack Rabid

Made Loud

The Echo Falls succeeds at doing a very hard thing: producing a simple, happy-sounding record that supports repeated listening and has depth. Is this album life-changing and earth-shaking? Nope. Is it worth listening to? Yes indeedy. These are little pop gems made for blasting while driving around, windows down, on the first day of spring.

Scripps News

Listening to "The Echo Falls," the self-titled release from a Bay-Area folk-pop trio, brings to mind eating just-harvested vegetables while still standing in the garden: It's fresh and uncomplicated, and nothing is sauced up or overcooked.

Eat Drink Sleep Music

"...the best track of all is “Love Over Time,” which could be the best guitar song Ben Folds never wrote. There’s enough to please many folks on this debut."

Type 3

"Mandel’s unique vocals backed by solid musicianship and songwriting give The Echo Falls a sound that can be best described as timeless."

Metromix

"Frontman Alex Mandel’s voice holds plenty of appeal, and the upright bass and drums/vibes accompaniments keep things simple and stripped down, in a good way."

Cosmos Gaming

Even though the folk/acoustic rock genre has become increasingly crowded over the years The Echo Falls is able to stand out from the other newcomers. Their melodic guitar riffs and mellow vocals are sure to grab anyone who gives them a shot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they become a bigger name in the near future.

Biloxi Sun Herald

"This group and recording are hard to categorize, but it recalls the halcyon days of California singer-songwriters with a different musical twist . . . many listeners will enjoy it."

Exclusive Magazine

""With Mandel’s instantly likeable vocals, thoughtful lyrics and the band’s memorable and tuneful songs...."

CWG

- live review

"For a three-piece, acoustic-only band, these guys were an orchestra of sound! I was astounded and in awe of the crazy shit that came out of frontman Alex Mandel's guitar. With a simple acoustic guitar, Alex's technique and ability to play rhythm and lead at the same time kept me hanging on to every note throughout their entire set."

- album review

The closer "Fall Asleep in the Sand," has the best atmosphere of any song on the album--sumptuous, tranquil, but with an anxious edge. This is a superbly talented band with a clear sense of their influences, both expected and unexpected (if you listen carefully, you can catch touches of Brazilian jazz rhythms in Brandt's drumming)...

Electronic Musician

This San Francisco Bay Area trio's debut CD, much of which was recorded on a laptop, features intelligent, acoustic-tinged indie rock.

Examiner.com

Songs like "Hummingbird" and "Road to Parnassus" showcase the true essence of what today's indie folk rock has to offer.

Buzz Bands

The smart folk-pop from songwriter Alex Mandel — day job: scoring short films for Pixar — is literate, amiable and, probably, mixtape-worthy.

Gearwire

Alex's Guitar

David's Bass

Dave's Drums & Vibes