Edison at Pianos

Vocalist/guitarist Sarah Slaton, originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2008 relocated to Denver, Colorado, and soon began performing her original songs locally as a solo artist. In 2012 she became the opening act for Brave Song Circle, which included drummer/vocalist/trumpeter/mandolinist Dustin Morris. Morris was originally from Dallas, Texas, but had relocated to Denver in 2009 and also was performing locally. By the end of the tour, Morris was playing backup in Slaton's set. They became a duo named Edison in 2014. In 2015, former Lumineers guitarist Maxwell Hughes (of Fort Collins, Colorado) performed as a solo artist on dates with Edison on the road to South by Southwest; he too joined Edison. Edison released the Ghost EP in 2015; a debut album, Familiar Spirit, is scheduled for release on September 16, 2016.

In the midst of a four-Wednesday residency at Pianos, Edison brought a soft and sweet to a stage that is often booming with loud rock. The songs themselves sounded simple, with clear lyrics and whispering accompaniment, but the arrangements were subtly progressive, with Hughes finger picking adeptly and Morris switching from kettle drums to trumpet to mandolin and back. Many of the lyrics vividly navigated through painful life passages, but always with the encouraging spirit of growth and self-empowerment. The most compelling attraction, however, was how the sparse arrangements allowed emotions to fill the empty spaces. This unique approach to indie folk makes Edison a keen band on the rise.