(17 August 2008) Georgia Wonder is a Portsmouth, England-based band comprised of Stephanie Grant (vocals) and Julian Moore (music). They describe their music as The Carpenters driving Tom Petty to an R.E.M. gig but getting crushed under the wheeles of Pink Floyd's tour buss while arguing over whether to listen to "Love Shack" by the B52s or "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. They have just released their debut five-track EP entitled Hello Stranger. We met Stephanie and Julian in 2006 and were honored to hear the track on the EP and four other demos. The five tracks on the EP span a diverse range of styles.

"Girl You Never Knew" is the EP's opener. A light ballad sung atop of keyboard washes, listeners will instantly fall in love with the warmth and power of Stephanie's crystalline voice. The title track atop a piano driven melody supported initially by keyboard washes. Vocal harmonies, guitar-driven instrumentals and crisp percusssion join and contribute significant radio friendliness and accessibility to the sound. Produced by Bev, mixed and mastered by Jay Burnett, the recording quality is top notch in every respect.

Stephanie's lush vocal harmonies on the tender ballad "Falling Down" are perfectly backed by light piano and acoustic guitar. The track is contrasted by crisp rocker "Would Love To Meet" backed with hammondesque keyboard stylings, electric guitar and drum kit. The band's claim about their sound is certainly supported by the tremendous sound of this track. The EP concludes with the acoustic guitar backed "Carnival." While Stephanie sings in a different register than Karen Carpenter, the folky "Carnival" is similarly performed--with strong allusions to this great duo and Karen's style--certain to appeal to a vast audience. We were left delighted and longing for more.

Georgia Wonder continue to garner attention from their live audiences in Great Britain and secure radio play for national audiences. Their recordings stream online from affiliate websites. Visit their official website to order the EP and to follow links with further photos, streaming audio and video. With much to offer and significant promise, we keenly await a full length album!