Brent Toland w/ Joel Arant

Brent Toland---s music reflects a wide range of musical influences --- folk, pop, jazz, rock and blues, to name a few -- but his most lasting imprint might come from being raised in Peoria, Ill., quintessential Midwestern river town, forgotten vestige of vaudeville days, nationwide symbol of the everyman. Like all Peorians, Brent grew up with a conflicted heart: the urge to leave the town behind and the urge to explore and celebrate his roots in Average America. Unlike most Peorians, Brent was able to do both. He first picked up the guitar shortly after high school and has not traveled far without one since. He spent periods of his early adulthood in the Air Force, in and out of college, in and out of marriage, working as a janitor, a delivery driver, a day trader, a bartender -- all of which yielded him a more-or-less worthless degree in finance, an appreciation for the perfect song, and a guitar case that---s been bruised and scuffed in ways that give a man insight. Through it all, he's performed. A lot. Bars, clubs, at open mics, as a member of a band, solo. But always his own music, written with a strong, uncomplicated love for the craft of songwriting. Today, Brent makes his home in Chicago, where he lives with his loving girlfriend and a poorly behaved dog. He can be seen performing at various venues throughout the city.

Joel Arant. After performing and collaborating on 1990's 'Bite the Dirt' with the Hootch Hounds, 1995's 'Pretty as a Picture with The Sojourners and 1999's 'Get Lucky' with The Proxies, Joel Arant, a long-time member of the Iowa City music scene, has released his first solo CD. In previous incarnations, Joel played clubs and bars throughout Iowa, averaging close to 100 nights a year. With 'To Whom it May Behoove', he has returned to writing, recording, and performing as a solo acoustic artist.

"There---s more to this record than brilliant lyrics and sonic experiments. Arant has crafted a fantastic mixture of alt country and drama." -- Performing Songwriter magazine

"To Whom it May Behoove is one of the most beautifully crafted, uncontrived, genuinely affecting collections of songs I have ever heard." -- americana-UK