TMN Radio New Artist: Sentinel

Sentinel is a three piece out of San Francisco, Bay Area, with Tarabud on vocals and bass, Dennis Bestafka on guitar, and Bill Mowery on drums. The seeds of Sentinel began in 2000 as a side recording project by Dennis, based around Tarabud’s voice and some sunny-sea-side dream pop ideas. The project went on hold as Dennis chose to serve in the US Army as an Airborne Paratrooper, fulfilling his dream of following in the footsteps of his grandfather who had fought and lived through WWII in battle of Iwo Jima. In the meantime, Tarabud relocated to the Bay Area to earn her Masters Degree in psychology. In 2004, Dennis returned from the Iraq War and rejoined Tarabud in the Bay Area, where the project blossomed in newfound ambition and musician support. Bill, a seasoned local drummer joined the band in early 2010.

Strongly influenced by their mutual visions of 80’s synth and 90’s dream pop, the likes of Cocteau Twins, Smiths, U2, My Bloody Valentine, Cure, Flock Of Seagulls, Ocean Blue, creating a long catalog of moods & textures while developing their sound. From the home studio, they self-released the following five albums and three singles: Sentinel (self-titled) – 2004; The Singles – 2005 (a compilation of the songs written through the musical separation); Sequels & Hunches E.P., and a video – 2007; Kites Without Strings – 2008; For Days Deep & a video- 2010; Jet Black Single & a video – 2010; Dark End Single – 2011; Somewhere Else Single & a video – 2012, Dance remixes, and not to mention several Christmas covers throughout the years. They have been well received with airplay on Live105.3 FM, and with live appearances on KALX UC Berkeley, KZSU Stanford College and PeraltaTV local Bay Area TV channel, and long history of live club performances.

What people are saying about Sentinel,

“Filled with sumptuous synth, ultra-reverberated vocals and saturated guitars, Kites Without Strings erupts like one long, happy wall of sound. Most of the songs on the album employ a similar upbeat pop vibe, creating a cohesive quality that might make differentiating them difficult. Thankfully, there isn’t a single bad track here, so this little bit of homogeneity proves itself more than welcome.” – Performer Mag

“Creating a beautiful and effervescent take on dream pop inspired by the legendary forebears of U2, My Bloody Valentine, and The Smiths, this band, active since 2000, have numerous albums and singles to their credit. Utilizing a lovestruck New Romantic aesthetic that hasn’t been in vogue since the glory days of MTV combined with the icily beautiful songwriting and vocals of its lead singer, it’s a treat for those who think 120 Minutes isn’t enough.” – The Owl Mag

Sentinel is now playing on TMN Radio.

 

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