Aaron Cuadra

23 Shades is the brainchild and new moniker of Aaron Cuadra, once a self-sustaining singer-songwriter and now a guy with a band. The band's personalized brand of rock 'n' roll boasts spacey ambience, meaningful lyrics and memorable melodies all shrouded with a cutting edge that is surely considered a rare find in an industry full of copycats and knockoffs of the latest "big thing." 23 Shades defies the temptation to follow suit or worry about what's hip and new. It's this refreshing attitude that sets Aaron apart, marking a debut album that not only breaks through on unique themes but also slyly creates an air of welcome reminiscence to early 90s popular alternative hooks mixed with a truly 2011 approach to darker post grunge angst.
Coming off honors such as the Los Angeles Music Awards "Best Male Vocalist" award, as well as second place at the Hard Rock Café Battle of the Bands and a semi-finalist placement in the International Songwriting Competition, Cuadra's 23 Shades will put out "A New Day to Learn" in Summer 2011.
The album was produced by bass player of mulit-platinum band Blue October, Matt Noveskey, who says Cuadra's talent and hard work make him a rare treasure.
"Aaron is not only a talented singer and intelligent lyricist," says Noveskey, "he is a brilliant person in general. It was an absolute pleasure to dig down and find real-life inspirations to create this piece we're extremely proud of. Working with him is a true pleasure; it's seamless."
Cuadra's touring resume is quite extensive, pulling in large crowds from House
of Blues Las Vegas and Los Angeles, as well as other reputable rooms like historic Antone's in Austin, among many others. He has opened for national acts such as Train and Five for Fighting. He has toured the Western United States multiple times and is putting his touring legs back on for the upcoming release. A songwriter and performer with this kind of experience seemingly has it figured out, being no stranger to a musical climate of fly by night scene bands and one hit wonders. Being a fly on the wall for that long truly has its invaluable benefits. "I learned how to seek out exactly what I want to do and not take no for an answer," says Cuadra.
23 Shades will tour extensively during 2011 to support the release of A New Day to Learn, hitting major markets and building new ones wherever they land. The album's first two releases, "Tension" and "Run", are now available on iTunes and Amazon.
"I poured myself into this album," Cuadra says. "It's what I've been working toward and it's where I want to be as a musician." The record echoes that sentiment. It's one of those 'first listen' pieces that leaves the impression that you're listening to something that you feel you could have listened to a hundred times somewhere before, or at least you SHOULD have.
2011 is sure to be a huge year in the rock world for Aaron and 23 shades. Keep an ear out as it's only a matter of time before this band becomes a household name.
Shades of music, shades of life, shades of expression