BIO SHEET

Download Bio/Onesheet for "Connected" (pdf)


HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS




STAGE PLOT

Download the Bruises STAGE PLOT (pdf)


PRESS CLIPS


"“Hott Damn!” cries the final track on The Bruises’ latest album, and it’s a pretty accurate exclamation. Connected sees the San Francisco pop/rock band (led by vocalists/guitarists and aptly-named Jenni Black and Aja Blue) perfect its jump from acoustic to electric with a pointier, edge-sharp energy that lines right up with their raved-about live performances.....Often likened to Sleater-Kinney, though with poppier pushes and vintage female harmonies, The Bruises do achieve a sense of fiery rawness......Most impressively, though, The Bruises demonstrate that they know how to effectively dip into different tastes, from punk to indie to pop, and blend each genre with a fist full of dynamism. The result is a power-driven full-length effort that’s an electrifying force all the way through. - Robbie Salapuddin, West Coast Performer Magazine.

"Using straight-up pop techniques with one foot in the Go-Go's and the other in Matthew Sweet, Connected's strongest tracks play that wonderful game of ear tease, where the song begins with promise, doesn't give too much away at the beginning, then lives up to full potential, creating a rewarding three-to-four-minute journey.....this band's got nuts. Big, rock nuts." Phillip Mottaz, thetripwire.com.

"If Tegan and Sara were not as heartbroken and Sleater-Kinney were not as angry, the result would be something close to The Bruises. This song grabs you with its catchy chorus and then rocks you hard. This track will have you hurting to hear the whole album." - Alexandra Scioli, The Deli SF.

"San Francisco female fronted band The Bruises prove that chicks rule as album Connected prevails as a poppy estrogen treat. This album has arrived at the perfect time, as the country has grown sick of the Spice Girls reunion." - Julianne Shapiro, The Owl Mag.

"Not quite riot grrl, not simply pop-punk: the Bruises load upbeat, dynamic pop songs with muscle and a bit of attitude, then smooth out the edges. Don't expect the menacing energy of Sleater-Kinney or the alt-rock nostalgia of Veruca Salt, rather something in the middle that works just as well." - Nate Seltenrich, East Bay Express.

"The Bruises – songwriters Aja Black and Jen Blue on guitars and vocals – create melodic distortion, a sound that is both pretty and edgy. The result is Connected, one of the boldest, coolest rock and roll statements I’ve heard in a while......every single song on it is a winner." - Chip Withrow, Musesmuse.com

"What makes them stand apart from other groups of the genre are the non-generic melodic vocal lines, imminently hummable without being utterly predictable, not an easy thing to do, and perhaps a result of their years honing their quieter side as an acoustic duo." - William Carey, Amplifiermagazine.com

"Black & Blue (sorry, had to do it… it’s how they got their name) showcase their respective talents by creating a polished, extremely catchy and listenable album full of hooks, memorable choruses, and ample guitar....The Bruises deliver a high-energy, fun sound that seriously rocks, and their new album features undeniably clever song writing and clean, precise musicianship." - Katie Kaapcke, WireTapMusic.com.

"The Bruises are intensely hypnotic punk pop and hard rock. Listening to this album, I found myself wanting to see them live. I would follow The Bruises anywhere. I'm not kidding." - Patricia Ethelwyn Lang, Feministreview.

"...this high energy band falls somewhere between the hiatusing queercore band The Butchies, and the hyper-pop Letters to Cleo (you know, that band that performed on the roof of Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles' high school in 10 Things I Hate About You). They have an album coming out really soon, and this one, titled Connected, has a bit of polish, and a lot more of a pop punk sound than previous acoustic efforts. In the meantime check out their live show, which will leave you with a smile on your face. I'll close this with words that they always do: Hot damn." - Bernadette Harris, The Owl Mag Blog, 10/07/07.

"Call it an occupational hazard, but sometimes I get really sick of San Franciscan hipster irony. Does everything have to be doled out with a knowing wink? Is there a rule that states a great pop song cannot be appreciated exactly as such without cheapening it with a sense of amused detachment? Say it ain't so, or else a great many of the Pabst Blue Ribbon contingent are about to miss out, sorry to say. Back from a stint in Los Angeles, local floor fillers the Bruises are once again elevating heartbeats with their wonderfully irony-free punk pop. Singer-guitarists Jenni Black and Aja Blue continue to explore the middle ground between Joan Jett and Sleater-Kinney while Mary Glide and Derrick Hostetter render the necessary sweat-soaked rhythms." - Todd Lavoie, San Francisco Guardian, 01/10/07, (.jpg)