The Dormouse Choir testifies. Whether picking, strumming, thwacking, crooning, preaching, invoking or collapsing, at the heart of the action lies a testament to the hidden America. This shadow country of bright-eyed carnie-queens, hobbled rodeo men, riotously salivating preachers, and Siamese twin gutter poets is the source for all of The Dormouse Choir's offerings.

Somewhat formed in 1998, the members of the Boston based Dormouse Choir each arrive from radically different territories in the American soundscape. Dormouse conflates their alternating sensibilities with his arranging and surrealist southern story telling; Winston Yu, when not parlancing with the Boston Philharmonic, fiddles and moogs; Emily Gasoi percusses, yowls and hoots; Elizabeth Dotson Westphalen marches in the saints on her trombone; Leigh Calabrese charms her savage singing saw; Josh B pumps away at the fat-bottomed acoustic bass and Helmut bangs the traps and tin cans.

The Dormouse Choir is pleased to wave you into to their wicked kitchen with their latest release, Tonight We Drink With Orphans, an EP released by upstart indie Near by Music. The recording pulls at the seams of American ordinariness, revealing the gamut of joy and awfulness abounding in the shadows. Tony Goddess, of Papas Fritas, and Orrin Anderson, formerly of Syrup USA, alternately sit behind the boards for the five song escapade. Guest stars include Shivika Asthana of Papas Fritas and Donna Coppola of The Solar Saturday. Here's what some folks had to say about it...

• "Tonight We Drink With Orphans is your cure-all. The only thing that'll disappoint ya is that the CD player stops at five! Go on, git yerself one of them now. Git I say, git!" - Splendid E-zine
• "it's an extremely promising debut" - All Music Guide
• "If I were to have a BBQ, I'd invite the Dormouse Choir to play it." - GeekAmerica.com

So, put on your dressing gowns and two-toned suits as we head to the banquet. Wet your lips and bead your eyes for an evening of spirit… for tonight we drink with orphans!

www.dormousechoir.com