Making Music: Crown Looks at Harps & Liars By: Miriam Orr One year and four months

ago, Sara Walz of Crowns Communication Department approached four Crown students who had been rumored to make music together, asking them to fill the last position in Crowns Battle of the Bands competition. After deciding they had nothing to lose, Jimmy Sourile, Jesse Cecchi, Korey Ellis, and Jordan Keahey enrolled in the competition. None of them expected the turnout of the competition. After deciding to compete, the group needed a name for themselves to register under. No one had any ideas, so they jokingly opened the Bible and read the first verse they saw and decided to make it their name. They opened to Psalm 150:3 which reads: Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre. And so began Harps & Liars. Jimmy Sourile, H&Ls guitarist/songwriter/frontman, sat down with StormChaser and told us a little backstory of the band. Not only was their creation spontaneous, but so was the outcome of the competition. Harps & Liars won the Battle of the Bands that year, without really even trying. After their success at Crown, they decided to reach out into the community and try to land other gigs off campus. It obviously worked. Weve played at Greenleaf, Mocha Monkey, and of course the Battle [of the Bands], Sourile stated. The best thing for musicians is to get connected. Play shows. Play anywhere. Play! Play! Play! All that playing actually payed off. Harps & Liars released their self-titled EP, which is known to have five to seven tracks. This EP was their first goal as a band, and their second as to compose an actual CD-usually containing 12 tracks. But, mostly, H&L is still into playing gigs locally and getting their name into the community. The mission behind the band wasnt only to participate in the Battle of the Bands, but also to make music. No matter the atmosphere, Sourile explained, we love music. We want to write it, and we love it. It began with Jesse and I writing a song, and thats what we love. Looking behind the music and its purpose, Sourile explained that its meant to make people feel and think. If it doesnt make people think and feel, weve failed. The band wants people to ask questions about life, spirituality, and themselves. Also, just to enjoy, Sourile laughed, we definitely want people to enjoy. StormChaser asked Sourile what type of music H&L leans towards. His response was instant: Indy. Were definitely indy, sometime we can lean towards pop. Sourile explained that the songs werent inherently worship, church service songs--but many of the meanings were spiritual and pertain to spiritual issues within people, giving them the opportunity to think about life. To Sourile, music is the universal language of humanity. Everyone relates [to music] at a subconscious level. It has the power to point to God. To him, music speaks to his heart sometimes more than a

sermon could. When I cant express something with words, I turn to music. Thats how I express myself. Harps & Liars plans to continue on together after graduation, as well as through the remainder of education. As of now, theyre restructuring, and planning new goals to strive towards together, said Sourile. As long as we can make music together, we will.