Nice feedback has been rolling in for our summer/fall 2023, Modern soft country rock Americana “Soap Creek Saloon” release

From Indie Pulse Music -– Kurtz delights in strong rhymes and understated wordplay that holds the listener’s attention. Ostentatious language is absent from the composition, yet it crackles with obvious intelligence. . . . “Soap Creek Saloon” benefits, as well, from its brisk pace. It doesn’t speed past listeners, glossing over nuance, but Friends to the End doesn’t waste your time with the extraneous. It comes across as a song with a clear conception from the outset rather than a meandering or overcooked composition. Kurtz and his collaborators understood their mandate going in and achieve it with tasteful yet deeply felt artistry. . . . The instrumental interplay struck in both versions relies on thoughtful attention to the song’s demands and an absence of ego. Kurtz and the other musicians involved are intent on serving the track first without any regard for personal glories. It’s as fine an expression of traditional country music as you’ll hear in 2023, but don’t mistake it for loving pastiche or the musical equivalent of a butterfly pinned under glass. It’s vibrant and alive.

From The Radio Castor -– [English Translation] What's particularly poignant is how each song is a destination on life's journey, as well as a journey through the Friends To The End catalog of songs.

Playlister comments - Awake -–Beautiful production and such beautiful vibes! Perfect for my playlist! Folk Rock Alchemist - I was totally feeling the vocals and instrumentals in this track. They were freaking awesome! Supreme Playlists - The exceptional melody and well-crafted lyrics definitely caught my attention. U N Indie Folk Music - Tuneful, groovy and upbeat. The lyrics are so creative and poetic. Bristol Funk - Good harmonies and the tempo and pace of the record was incredible. Mustangs & Mavericks - Very cool tune..fun and engaging...dug the artwork too! SLNB - The instruments had a really upbeat vibe, and the melody was pretty catchy. The vocals were really energetic, and the lyrics were interesting too. Visioner - Beautiful work here.

Feedback about our spring 2023, Modern soft rock, alt-rock, art-rock “Chinese Underground” release

kutx FM98.9 Song of the Day Premiere - the Austin Music Experience - Song Of The Day, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, Chinese Underground.

From Analogue Trash blogsite -– Chinese Underground sees Kurtz examine authoritarianism in his trademark wry style. . . . Chinese Underground has an air of the 80s about it, with Kurtz’s vocals in particular echoing the plaintive yet melodic tones of XTC’s Andy Partridge. Zappa and Talking Heads influence can be heard in the brisk, angular, and expansive influences of the arrangement.

From Columna Musical blogsite -– Rich sonic layers and clear Zappa influences, especially creative use of Chinese instruments adding unique colors to the tune. Noteworthy lyrics as well.

From Phonograph Me blogsite -– Well-crafted, lively and vibrant, with energetic instrumentation and dynamic harmonies, quite fond of the intricate textures . . Everything sounds so effortless.

From Obscure Sound blogsite -– Fondly reminding me of Talking Heads and XTC with the confidently melodic vocals and playful lyrics. Enjoyed the sophisti-pop added vocal . . ."Plenty of room in the training camp," playing well amidst the Chinese marimba . . . Enjoyed the creative sound overall.

From Various Small Flames blogsite -– The ambition and invention of the track are fantastic, making for an engaging mood.

From The Slow Music Movement blogsite -– Cool, catchy piece of pop music with a pleasingly subversive, Talking Heads sort of vibe - lots of good going on here.

Feedback about our summer 2022 psychedelic hit, “ROBOT ODDiTY”

From UNXIGNED blogsite -– Curious, lush, and inventive vibe here. The track blends lo-fi rock and psychedelic pop textures that make for a classic-flavored, contemplative, and grounded character that’s easy to jam along to. Recalls the likes of The Beatles, The Shins, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, etc. Clearly the style combines these genres. Appreciate the spacious feel as well as the suiting vocal work.

From Alpas Records -– Indeed a pretty original song, the layered melodies are quite pleasing to listen to . . . Pleasing feel . . . pronounced keys and percussive elements. A bit of Frank Zappa and a slow paced Abba mixed with some jazzy instrumentals.

From Music On The Moon (Spotify playlister) -– Unique sound. Cool synth sounds. Avant-garde arrangement and melody lines. Quirky. Strong vocals. Quick flowing arrangement. Plenty of push and pull to the energy. Imaginative lyricism that paints an immersive world. Well crafted.

From Nataliia Do (Spotify playlister) -– Something incredible the keyboard playing is irresistible. And the voice is beautiful, strong and pleasing to the ear. This is a very high quality and beautifully crafted song.

From our press release package -– A cerulean blue android spins his regretful victory song on a keyboard odyssey from a bric-a-brac robot factory to a sunny, magic beach town finale, while riding sonic waves of piano, synth and brassy percussion shuffles. ROBOT ODDiTY is the upcoming spring 2022 Modern soft rock track from Friends To The End. The accompanying edgy music video with a psychedelic twist paints the tale of indoctrination and moral discovery by Thom Kurtz, the creator behind his Friends To The End band project, with a near-death experience in a raging fire at a power plant, while living as “wires inside an iron can.”

From Leandro Vianna at Roadie Music -– "Traveling between Indie and Psychedelic Rock, it delivers dense, strong and striking music, with great arrangements and melodies.” (translated from the Portuguese)

Feedback about our Modern soft rock new wave hit single “Where'd You Put The Baby?”

From Bruno Kukaj of playlister.club – Cool instrumental , such a nice and rich melody , also the vocal was great !

From Anonymous at playlister.club – The lyrics of the song are really interesting, it is a remarkable point. I think that the guitars accompany in a solid way, they sound with a very good color. The singer has a good performance too. Great job!

Feedback about our hopeful anthem, “A World Of Troubles” feat. Susanna Lee on lead vocal

From Anonymous at playlister.club – The song has a really engaging style, the sound design sounds very colorful and creates an enjoyable atmosphere. The vocals sound compelling. Very good work!

Feedback about our hit debut follow-up “As Sure As Your Sorrow Is Joy”

From Music Glory at playlister.club – Joy and sorrow and inseparable, together they come. Congrats on a masterful song 👏

From daydream of riccardopietri – Really beautiful genre of music and style . . . with your amazing voice.

From divideandconquermusic – Robust and bursts at the seams … These four songs were well produced. The recording quality was impressive especially given the amount of instrumentation.

From LORD VINCENT at playlister.club – this song is perfect for my classic playlist, I like the instruments chosen for the arrangement by the artist, I especially like the violins. The song has intense meaning and well written lyrics, overall it's a good job that I'm happy to add to my playlist.

Feedback about our debut single, “Love On The Rocks (Shipwrecked)” feat. Julia Courtney on lead vocal

From Niko at Indie Music Center – You really succeeded in creating a musical universe of your own. Amazing vocals here, reminding me of Kate Bush sometimes. Cool and relaxing atmosphere, soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics. Nice quality of production too.

From Kevin Hugger at mp3hugger – Nice name for an act and what a progressive rock opening you have imagined here. . . . an individual performance that is breathtaking.

From KOALA at playlister.club – Amazing style and mood, very talented and professional. Clearly you are a skillful artist. Great combination of sounds. Keep this way.

Some early feedback about our preview music videos.

This video is life-changing. The amazing SFX, the incredible OST, and the best part has to be the storyline and moral. There is such amazing lore to this short-film, and the video all together is terrific. 10/10 for me, one of the best videos ever created for sure.

This is weird but I like it that way.

This isn’t a music video. This is an experience.

The picture assortment works well with the music much more lively and coordinates well with the song. I also like the back up singers towards the end of the song.

Wow! that was good, I love the upbeat tempo and the arrangements of sounds with instruments and others. The assortment of pictures and short videos peak my interest where you displayed a variety of themes. Lyrics were light (not deep thinking) and fun. Once again I enjoyed the song.

This has to be an art project of some sort.