Shawn Rosenblatt, the core of the band Netherfriends, has turned the mythology of touring on its head since his latest months of touring, making his trip around the country into a productive affair. Starting in April 2010, Shawn gave up his apartment and hit the road for one year with the goal to write and record a song and perform in all 50 states. As of January, he has hit 39 states. Netherfriends began as a musical offering of Shawn Rosenblatt in 2007, while he was still a student at Columbia College in Chicago. During the 50 Songs Project, Netherfriends has released his debut LP Barry and Sherry as well as played the Pitchfork Music Festival, the Pop Montreal Festival, and the CMJ Music Fest. After releasing Barry and Sherry last September, Netherfriends wasted no time in releasing the free flowing EP Alap to ring in the New Year.
Netherfriends bends traditional colors of pop touching upon psychedelic, dream, and synth to create a new musical spectrum. According to Daytrotter, Shawn Rosenblatt "is some kind of a mastermind" that "has an expert way with indie rock arrangement and with the tricky business of sounding both unfamiliar and like something that we've been intimate with time and again."
The next few months will see Netherfriends on the road for a return to the SXSW Music Festival and the completion of the 50 Songs in 50 States Project. Netherfriends plans to begin releasing the 50 songs as a series of EPs/LPs within the next couple years.