For the last two decades, the Providence, RI-based Redfearn has crafted a compelling, uncategorizable sound that is wholly his own but has tendrils that reach into a stunning variety of influences both musical and otherwise. The music is centered upon Redfearn’s arcane rock sensibilities, beguiling vocals and serpentine accordion lines, which lace the music with tinges of everything from Krautrock to minimalism, alternate-universe folk tunes to psychedelic prog. Thematically, his hallucinatory lyrics hint at mind-expanding concepts from his voracious reading and adventurous experiences, with seductive insinuations.

The Opposite is the Eyesores’ long-awaited follow-up to their wonderful 2012 release Sister Death. Where that album reached toward the epic with a roster of special guests and larger instrumentation, The Opposite pares things down to the core band, with an accompanying intimacy and intensity. The sparse instrumentation is extended with the use of pedals and amplification that blend with the acoustic instruments to offer a unique, alien palette from which to draw. A stream-of-consciousness approach gives the album’s lyrics a feeling of dreamlike imagery and elusive associations.

As has been the case for their last few releases, the album was recorded by Seth Manchester at Machines With Magnets. For the first time Alec worked with noted mastering engineer Udi Koomran at The Pergola. Both engineers helped to insure that the final release is sonically great. The personal and the universal, the poetic and the prosaic, esoteric explorations and the humorous insanities of daily life – all come together in the hypnotic and pulse-pounding songs of Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores. With The Opposite, the band has created a collection of music that is at once their most accessible and mind-expanding to date, the sort of mystery that rewards not solving but getting lost within.

"[a] swirling, psychedelic, gypsy-tinged art-rock masterpiece..."
– New York Music Daily

Many buzzwords have been used to describe the band’s playing and Redfearn’s composing and arranging, but they all fall short of conveying the dark beauty of the music and lyrics. Sister Death explores the mysteries of life, death, love, loss, creation and destruction, subjects that have informed Redfearn’s songwriting since the early 90s. It is their 7th album, their most widely approachable release and features striking artwork and photographs!

The group's unmistakable sound is the result of Alec's songs, which have poignant melodies and lyrics filled with doom-laden imagery. These songs are performed by a band who use unusual instrumentation (male and female vocals, accordion, double bass, French horn, organ, drums, percussion, electronics + many musical guests) in interesting and creative ways. The music touches on elements of Americana, folk, European cabaret, minimalism, noise, and progressive rock, but it ultimately transcends all categories except for 'excellence'.

"I spent about 6 years writing for this record. I've trashed dozens of tunes along the way. This record is probably the most accessible of our releases so far. I spent a lot of time obsessing over kraut-rock, space rock and psychedelic rock in the past few years, so that influence is bound to be felt. I've tried to move away from the Eastern European/Gypsy sound...we've always tried to change things up as we went. Probably the biggest change in our sound is the addition of Orion on the Acetone Top 5 organ and vocals. These latest songs have been built around the keyboard and accordion, but it still sounds like us. Some things simply don't change. My melodic obsessions and idiosyncrasies remain imbedded in the music, and I suppose they always will be." – Alec K. Redfearn

The Seizures is one of Alec's newest projects. Basically a more compact version of the Eyesores, it is easier for him to tour and gig with 4 musicians than 8 or 9. Of course. The group is:
Alec K. Redfearn- Vocal, Accordion and Ukulele
Chris Sadlers- Contrabass
Matt McLaren- Drums and Percussion
Orion Rigel Dommisse- Vocals
The music is very much what we expect from Alec; great songs, unusual instrumentation, morbid lyrics and wonderful performances. Highly recommmended, even if I still like the bigger Eyesores more!

"The Seizures are the latest Alec K. Redfearn project. We are not a "pirate band". We are not "Gypsy Punk". We are not interested in genres. There are no guitars. All guitar-like sounds are made by the accordion and ukulele. We've disposed of all sentimentality for this round. We're not feeling much love these days. The world is an ugly place an it will only get worse. We grow more disgusted and disappointed by the day. Perversion and despair are our bread and butter. Welcome aboard."-AKR

"...constructed from a diverse and unfashionable set of instruments, Alec K. Redfearn and the Eyesores are as bizarre as they appealing. This is wonderful stuff -- brave and experimental, yet warmly human. Make room on your folk revival shelf for something that may be influenced by folk, but is in no way a revival." – Splended

This marvelous large ensemble from Providence, Rhode Island has been in existence for a decade now, bringing their very original music to audiences in the US and Europe. The Blind Spot is their 6th release and their second for Cuneiform and it's also surprisingly different from The Quiet Room. It includes a few shorter songs but the main focus of the album is a very ambitious work entitled "I am the Resurrection and the Light", which is a song cycle for a large ensemble featuring a number of different players: appearing are accordion, violin, viola, French horn, guitar, alto sax, bassoon, contrabass, drums, 'loops, processing and other eletronic mayhem' and layers and layers of vocals from up to 4 vocalists (Alec and 3 female voices). This song cycle is a eulogy and meditation about drug addiction and death from drug addiction and related causes. A compelling, powerful, demanding and ultimately beautiful and moving work. No one else sounds like The Eyesores and with this album, no one combines such purity of vocal and instrumental work with such a sense of impending uneasiness (and I mean this as the highest compliment!).

"...charmingly inventive" – jazzreview.com

"...a delight." – Copper Press

"The Blind Spot (is) an ambitious song cycle that incorporates choral arrangements and a soprano vocalist, lending a true requiem-like feel to this meditation on loss and addiction. Redfearn is in top form here, directing the magic collision of spiralling waltzes with the drone of a specially built hurdy-gurdy. Despite the dark theme, the music is still exquisitely pretty, with segues between songs as integral as the compositions themselves. Artful yet entirely genuine, this is the most accomplished Eyesores record to date." – Exclaim!

This 2006 release is a total killer, with great songs and performances.

It is almost like two EPs put together, with the first part being 25' of the full Eyesore experience and the second 25' being by the accordion / drum duo of Matt and Alec, Gutterhelmet.

"Redfearn and the Eyesores play with their sound, modulating it enough to evoke cartoon images of French sailors one moment and tormented, hungry thieves the next. They stay sweetly listenable the entire time, using their progressive influences to pepper already exquisite song writing. Though the songs are obvious and immediate, there exists an air of surrealism all over the disc." -Brainwashed

Alec K. Redfearn - Accordion, Distorted Accordion, Stomping, Vocals, Jawharp
Margie Wienk - String Bass, Vocals, Stomping
Domenick Panzarella - Guitar, E-bow, Stomping
Olivia Geiger - Violin, Stomping
Ann Schattle - Horn In F, Stomping
Matt McLaren - Drums, Glockenspiel, Vocals
Frank Difficult - Electronics and Processing on 'Litany' and 'Overhang'
Jason McGill - Alto Sax on 'Litany'
Orion Rigel Dommisse - Vocals on 'Valse I'

All music written and arranged by Alec K. Redfearn except for 'Overhang', which was written by Alec K. Redfearn and Abigail Karp and 'Gutterhelmet Ascending', which was written by Alec K. Redfearn and Matt McLaren.

Recorded winter/spring 2005 by Keith Souza at Machines With Magnets in Providence, RI
Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering in Boston, MA
Produced by Alec K. Redfearn and Keith Souza. Assistant engineers were Mike Viele and Seth Manchester.

Cover Art by Abigail Karp
Lettering by Alec K. Redfearn

"The Eyesores are an accordion-driven, gypsy cursed band that specialize in funeral marches and hypno-drone trance music, among other, equally odd things. The Eyesores are bad ass motherfuckers in an entirely new way. Recommended." – The Noise

The Quiet Room is a little bit different and also rather special. A huge nine-piece band (accordion/vocals, guitar, French horn, violin, electronics, alto sax, string bass/vocals, drums and percussion), they combine a gigantic array of influences, such as acid folk, maverick 20th century Americana (Tom Waits, Charles Ives, John Cage, Harry Partch), Eastern European folk music, noise/drone rock, cyclical minimalism (Terry Riley, Philip Glass), cabaret and theater music and more. To my ears, this band is simultaneously drawing from the 'primitive' and 'avant-garde' esthetic, and blending together this huge range of styles into a distinctive, wholely charming sound; at any given moment, you can't tell if you will be hearing the influences of 1920's Appalachia, as filtered through a modern rock band, or post math-rock rendered by acoustic instruments. There are not a lot of vocals, but what vocals there are are nicely sung and feature a wry wit. Always evolving and ever elusive, The Eyesores have consistently left their audiences equally enthralled and confused; the tradition continues here! A quiet stunner!

"This massive musical untaking is a complex mix of psychedelic folk, prog rock, old-time, acid cabaret, dark circus music, and sinister dream fragments that haunt in recurring motifs." – Dream

This 2003 album sets the stage for the 'mature' period of The Eyesores. All the ingredients are here and fully developed. Seeing them on tour for this album led to their signing with Cuneiform and nearly 20 years of work together!

"Redfearn's strongest entry to date, this is a grinding and mechanical look at folk. The lyric writing is excellent, and the compositions varied. Still not on the level of masterpiece, but beyond most of what else is on the market." – Rate Your Music

"They say it's all been done before, so when an artist has a unique, hauntingly beautiful sound it's rare and Alec K. Redfearn, Eyesores and all, are one of a kind. That alone is a difficult feat." – Jessie Jayne

"If Can, John Cage, X, and my grandma’s polka records got in that machine from The Fly, maybe this would come out instead of a half Goldblum, half bug. Absolutely enjoyable and recommended."

Alec K. Redfearn: vocals, accordion, electrified/distorted accordion, handclaps, acid bass
Margie Wienk: vocals, contrabass, cello
Alec Thibodeau: electric guitar, AM radio
Matt McLaren: drum kit, shakers, concert bass drum, handclaps, additional percussion
Matt Everett: viola
Jeff Knoch: Farfisa organ
Sara Stalnaker: cello
Jason McGill: alto saxophone, brake drums, shortwave radio, handclaps
Michael Jeffries: baritone saxophone, electrified stritch
Ann Schattle: horn in F
Erica Schattle: bassoon
Steven Jobe: hurdy-gurdy
Frank Difficult: electronics & electronic processing
Todd Jessop: handclaps
John Jacobson: handclaps, tape echo
Shawn Wallace: trumpet

All music and arrangements by Alec K. Redfearn, except for the percussion, which was arranged by Matt McLaren and for The Green Hat / Coccyx, which was improvised by The Eyesores and John Jacobson using a democratic system of parameters.
All lyrics by Alec K. Redfearn, except Black Holes, which was written by Alec and Laura Colella

Recorded March 2003 at Sound Station Seven in Providence, RI.

The second album by The Eyesores. The sound and instrumentation we would soon all know begins to emerge here. The lawyer letter arrived very shortly after...

Alec K. Redfearn - accordion, vocals, piano, ARP 2600
Margie Wienk - string bass, vocals
Laura Gulley - violin
Alec Thibideaux - electric guitar, radios
Corwin Butterworth - lap steel, mandolin
Will Schaffon - acoustic guitar
Tony Look - drums, bowed cymbals
Don Larson - banjo
Jeffrey Alexander - e-bow guitar

Recorded at Sound Station Seven in Providence, RI from April to July, 2000.
All songs were written by Alec K. Redfearn and arranged by The Eyesores.

This was the first Eyesores release and was released under the name The Eyesores, as the 'cease and desist' lawyer letter from the California punk rock band insisting that they 'change their name' hadn't arrived yet...

"Could there possibly be a more entertaining album title? Few musical works could live up to such expectations, but the Eyesores certainly try. They’re the kind of band that give folk-rock a good name, and wouldn’t be out of place beside Elephant 6 acts Olivia Tremor Control or Neutral Milk Hotel.
What sets them apart from just about anything else is their use of the accordion as a lead instrument, making it sound like nothing you would normally associate with the squeeze box. Alec K. Redfearn wields his instrument like Sam Coomes of Quasi renders his electric organ, making it sound like a natural indie rock instrument.
Elsewhere, banjos, lap steels and string basses flesh out this non-traditional recording. The vocals fall a little short and the album runs a bit long, but a small amount of musical invention goes a long way." - Exclaim

Alec K. Redfearn : Accordion, Vocals, Percussion, Piano
Corwin Butterworth : Lap Steel Guitar
Margaret Wienk : String Bass, Vocals
Mark Pedini : Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Matthew Everett : Guitar, Vocals
William Schaff : Guitar, Pedalboard
with
Shawn Wallace : Trumpet

All words and music by Alec K. Redfearn, except 4, 8, 10, 12, which are by Matthew Everett.