The Alternate Routes are the band that helped us to remember “we are how we treat each other, and nothing more.”

“Nothing More” propelled the band into new ears and new heights, having been featured prominently in the 2014 Winter Olympics, on NCIS, and with numerous other organizations. It was followed up with “Somewhere in America,” a poignant and personal conversation about gun violence that earned the band a 2016 Independent Music Award and a visit to the White House.

The Alternate Routes first burst onto the scene in 2005 with their breakthrough album Good and Reckless and True. They released several albums on Vanguard Records and on their own, toured extensively, and relentlessly refined their craft. They have collaborated with such seemingly disparate artists as singer-songwriter Patti Griffin, director Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right), and guitarist Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket. They’ve performed on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” and have been repeat guests on NPR’s “Mountain Stage.”

The Moonrise Cartel is an original American folk-rock band blending folk, indie rock, and Americana with a touch of gospel. The band features soaring harmonies, introspective lyrics, and a vintage sound profile balanced with a modern touch — equal parts timeless and for the time. Their rapidly growing fan base (known as Cartel Members) now coins their music “Folk Rock from Black Rock.”

Fueled by songwriter Al Pascarelli’s deeply personal writings of a lifelong battle with mental illness, alcoholism, and an eventual emergence out of the darker shades of the human experience, this is a band with several gears and one that takes you on an incredible journey. His voice is accompanied by Stephanie Harrison, who wows with striking vocal prowess, moving effortlessly between stunning power and heartbreakingly delicate delivery.

Multi-instrumentalist Jason Polise lays a sonic feast on lead guitar, saxophone, and keys, along with several other instruments. It is all held together by the rock-solid backdrop of Benj LeFevre on bass and Steve Tobey on drums. 

The Moonrise Cartel is the 2025 New England Music Awards winner for Rising Stars of Connecticut.