DOWNEY – A Downey couple has just released their debut album.

Geoff Gross and his wife Scarlet Biberstein are the creative forces behind Indie Pop / Rock band Merlot Embargo. The duo are Downey residents, and have already performed locally several times, including at the last few Make Music Downey events.

The group came into being in early 2015 as a combination of the couple’s shared love and passion for music, songwriting, and performing.

“Scarlett’s been writing songs since college, and wanting to pursue it,” said Gross. 
“He was good with making it sound professional and all of that,” added Biberstein. “After we got married it was like it just hit me.”

Another contributing factor to the band’s formation was a near deadly car accident that Gross and Biberstein were involved in in December of 2014.

“We shouldn’t have survived,” said Biberstein. “That was one thing where I walked away from that and was like ‘if we had died, would I have regretted anything?’ and I was like ‘yeah, I would’ve regretted not pursuing music really, truly…’…That was the fire under our butts, so to speak.”

Their new album "Don’t Look Back" was released August 19th with a private preview performance held in Whittier. The album was independently produced in Downey within the couple’s home studio, which Gross has been building over time; Gross handled the technical, production side of the music, while Biberstein tended to be the creative mind behind the lyrics. Some of the music was also produced at the First Baptist Church. 

Merlot Embargo describes their music as “somewhere between indie and mainstream.”

“It’s a little too mainstream for indie and a little too indie for mainstream,” said Biberstein.

Now, the group looks to do as many local gigs “as makes sense,” according to Gross. They also plan to take to social media. The couple is expecting a child in January, however at this point they don’t see themselves slowing down.

For more information, visit merlotembargo.com, or visit them at their various social media outlets. "Don’t Look Back" is available on digital download cites such as Itunes, Amazon, and Spotify.