A Simple Exchange celebrated their album release with a party and performance at Rose Music Hall on Wednesday.
Comprised of four members, [A Simple Exchange began with Morgan Manson and Lucas Dierker meeting on Tinder in January 2013](http://move.themaneater.com/stories/2015/4/14/tinder-match-led-formation-simple-exchange/#.VsZmayxVhHw). They had both pursued music separately, but when they sang together for the first time, both Manson and Dierker liked the sound they had and began to perform as a duo.
After a few band member switches, Catherine Sandstedt on viola and Daniel Blake on drums joined Manson and Dierker to create the band as it is today. They describe their sound as a mix of Mumford and Sons and Of Monsters and Men, with the harmony vocals of The Civil Wars.
The band recently recorded their first full-length album, called “What We’ve Become.” The name of the album is also the title track, which tells the story of the band, Manson says. It’s supposed to show how far the band has come, as well as what they are going to do.
While this may be the band’s first full-length album, the group as a whole has performed together around 10-15 times, and performed numerous times as a duo or trio. The live shows are different from a recording studio, allowing the band to feed off the energy of the crowd.
“I love the interaction (during live performances),” Sandstedt says. “I know when we get into rehearsal, we want to work on everything, got to get everything perfect and then we get to the performance, and we just have fun.”
Rose Music Hall is an intimate venue, making the performance much more interesting.
“In a place like (Rose Music Hall), you are going to have a lot of people just standing around, socializing and drinking and stuff,” Dierker says. “If you can get people to come up to the front and really pay attention to what you’re doing… that’s pretty exciting.”
A Simple Exchange’s sound is familiar, yet all its own. I feel like I’ve heard something like them before, but I couldn’t tell you who or what it was that they reminded me of. Their songs made me nostalgic for something I couldn’t quite place.
The acoustic portion of the show really highlighted the musical talents of the group, Sandstedt especially. Her ability to play viola and sing at the same time was impressive and something that I’ve never seen before. The three-part harmonies were also on display during the acoustic set, filling out their sound.
One of my favorite songs they played was “New York for New Year’s Eve.” It was one of the songs they performed during the acoustic set. There was a simplicity to the song that really captured my attention, and stood out from the rest.
If you are into folk and harmony vocals, this band is for you. Their relatable lyrics and Americana sound are sure to sweep you away. Manson says connecting with the audience is one of the most important things for her.
“For me, the music is about those people and their lives,” Manson says. “I just want to say what I want to say and I want people to pick it up and do something with it.”
