Hailing from Budapest in Hungary, The Unbending Trees are a trio, and specialize in sparse, brutally honest, chamber ballads and slo-core pop.
Kristof Hajos (vocals, words) was a friar in a monastery at the age of 18, but was thrown out.
Havasi (piano) is a revered Hungarian classical pianist and graduated at the Hungarian Music Academy.
Peter Hary (bass, programming) lives in the countryside in Kecskemet and loves New Wave, New Romantics and Gary Numan.
4th December 2008 Andor Gabor, drummer and percussionist joined the band.
Between them they have conjured up a raw and poetic collection of songs that make up their debut album, 'Chemically Happy (Is The New Sad)', and dare we say it in this age of overstatement, have discovered a genuinely unique sound.
Discovered on MySpace by Ben Watt and signed to Strange Feeling (the alt- pop sister imprint to his acclaimed electronic label, Buzzin' Fly) The Unbending Trees made their arresting debut last autumn with London shows at the Betsey Trotwood and a four-track EP ('The First Day EP') that saw acclaim coming from Jim Gellatly at XFM Scotland, Radio 1's Rob Da Bank, The Observer's Molloy Woodcraft and underground tip-sheets like The Fly and Artrocker.
In the meantime, their UK acceptance has seen extraordinary things happen in their home country of Hungary with tracks like 'You Are A Lover' and 'Alfred's Lovesong' not only getting extensive radio play but also reaching the Top 10 on MTV Hungary with relentless rotation of their low-budget clips next to the pop and r'n'b hits of the day.
There is a gothic luminosity to the sound allied to a European intensity that recalls perhaps Scott Walker and Leonard Cohen, and Tracey Thorn was so taken with the songs and the live performances that she accepted the invitation to guest on one of the album’s finest moments, 'Overture'. You will love or hate this record. It demands an opinion. It is raw and unflinching, unique and honest. Open your heart to The Unbending Trees.