Piano-driven band makes itself heard

September 15, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

After spending years being a sideman in local bands, Youngstown’s Justin Edwards is moving to the front of the stage with his new group, Neon Avenue, which he feels already is making waves in the Northeast Ohio music scene.

“I’d have to say the fact we have such a piano-driven kind of root to our sound, it definitely gives us a unique style compared to other bands in this area,” said Edwards, a 2006 Struthers High School graduate. “I have a unique background that both of my parents teach at the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University, and I’ve been trained classically on piano my whole life. I’m confident the band sounds like nothing else in the Mahoning Valley area.”

Edwards said the act is expanding its touring radius in hopes of being in the right place at the right time.

“Basically, we’re trying to book shows with larger, national acts,” Edwards said. “Right now, we’re working with Musica in Akron and clubs in Pittsburgh. I feel like we just have to get the right people to hear it. So I’m trying to make those right connections.”

Formed roughly six months ago, Neon Avenue — Edwards (vocals, piano, guitar), John Cutlip (bass), Ryan Mehle (drums) and Stephen Pappas (guitar) — already released its debut EP, “The Darkest Hour.” The three-track effort includes the ballad title track, the up-tempo “Wait a Minute” and the obscure, piano-driven “My Alibi.”

In a nutshell, those styles epitomize the soundscape Edwards is hoping for. Up next, the group plans on recording and releasing its full-length debut, which is due out before the end of the year.

Stylistically, Edwards said the band has a very old soul; he’s speaking to those readers who are over 40.

“We all have a strange love for ’80s pop music, and even earlier than that with the ’70s,” Edwards said. “I listened to a lot of early Queen recordings, and we also listen to ’80s pop and metal. We have such different influences that they’ve combined in the middle, and it’s really unique, almost progressive kind of feel to some of the music.”