New York's guitar pop mystics, Portraiture are proud to release their debut music video for the single, "I Am Wrong" today. The band is also launching a contest for fans to decipher the hidden, 8-word message in the music video for a prize of $250 to the lucky riddle-deciphering fan. The band will announce the winner on April 28th.
The video for "I Am Wrong" contains a secret message, in the form of an 8-word phrase. All 8 words are visible and the clues are spread throughout the video. In order to win the contest, the message must be located, sequenced, interpreted, and/or translated. In order to win the contest, the submission of the answer must include:
The entire 8-word secret message in its natural state (without interpretation, translation, or sequencing)
The interpretation, translation, or sequencing of the secret message
The location of all the clues (time markers, area of the screen, etc).
All submissions must be submitted by email to portraiturenyc at gmail dot com. Individuals who submit correct answers (correct answers must meet all criteria as mentioned above) will be submitted into a drawing. The winner will then be determined by placing the names of those who submitted correct answers into a hat and drawn at random. All submissions will be placed on the portraiture mailing list (you're welcome). Members, family members, or current employees of Portraiture, The Fellowship Students, Oryans Bellt, or Shark Party Media are not eligible for the contest.
New York gave birth to guitar-pop quintet Portraiture in 2013. As indie acoustic music began to take its final gasp of air, Portraiture released their mysterious and electrifying debut album "Real as Ritual," heralding the renaissance of guitar pop. For the last year, they have set about seducing audiences with their plugged in guitars, drums, and clean-shaven faces. Portraiture acknowledges that all paths from rock music have been thoroughly trod, yet they follow a potent mantra; citing Martin Amis, they are soldiers in "the war against cliché."
Nathan Siler, the architect and principal songwriter of Portraiture, is a seasoned performer in the NYC classical scene, making his living primarily as a classical singer. After Siler graduated from Oklahoma City University with a degree in music composition and a minor in vocal performance, he promptly returned to the dark side of music and spent much time supporting, producing, and touring with other renowned indie bands such as The Lovely Sparrows, Steve Burns and the Struggle, and Brothers NYC. Upon moving to NYC in 2006, he re-entered the classical sphere and frequently performs at
Carnegie Hall with American
Symphony Orchestra. Siler was featured in the U.S. premier of the obscure Weber opera "Euryanthe" in a comprimario role at Bard Summerscape in 2014. He is also a soloist in the acclaimed chamber choir Musica Viva of New York, and he fosters a close relationship with up-and-coming composers, singing for many premiers of music in the NYC Classical scene.
Unlike other musicians who attempt to co-mingle serious composition with pop music, Siler has no desire to bring his classical baggage into his energetic and fresh pop songs. However, with Portraiture, the subtle interaction between classical and pop music is unconscious and unintended. With such a strong classically trained foundation, Portraiture is set apart from most bands with their unique sonorities, technically precise performance, and sophisticated arrangements. The guitarists, Shawn Bartels and Warren Loy, are also classically trained musicians; Bartels with a long pedigree of opera roles in the U.S. and Europe, and Loy, an accomplished pianist, composer, and former student of the BMI Music Theater Writing School. Drummer Dave Previ pierces through the hook-laden, yet obtuse sound with serious tribal aggression and metal chops. In the spring of 2014, Portraiture added auxiliary percussionist James Pingenot who forces an intense counterpoint to the jangling guitars and fuzzy bass lines.
"Guitar pop is like a t-shirt," says Siler. "You may present yourself fashionably at times and go through phases, but when you get home, you will always return to the comfort and simplicity of a t-shirt." But if Portraiture's music were a t-shirt, it would be tattered, oddly comfortable, and inlayed with precious stones and 3D images. Most admirable is their ability to strike the delicate balance between intricate nerd rock and melodic power pop. The frontal assault against cliché is equal parts music and lyrics. His subjects are exotic. But if Siler approaches a normal topic there is rare glimpse into an emotionally intelligent take on pain. Other times, he takes on a more animalistic and primitive voice advocating vengeance, power and lust.
Portraiture's sound resonates with traces of XTC, Jeff the Brotherhood, The Tom Tom Club, Devo, and Hooray for Earth to name a few.
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