VanyaLand covers the Self Titled Album by Gavage
Album Premiere & Preview: Gavage unleash debut LP ahead of Providence Garage Fest
With their first show being at a house party on New Year’s Eve back in 2012, Providence punk band Gavage have come a long way in a short time. Their talents exude a vibe that’s reminiscent of vintage B-52’s and Gang Of Four, guaranteeing to start a party wherever they play. The fourpiece will be officially unveiling their long-awaited debut album, released dually via POP Records and 75orLess Records, on sexy hot pink vinyl during the first-annual Providence Garage Fest at AS220, which lands this Saturday. Taking their name from the French term to administer food or drugs by force, when you blast this bad boy through your record player, you’ll keep on wanting more.
Frontman Kevin Toth’s crazed style of storytelling on the mic sets the mood for each track. Christopher Fragale on guitar absolutely rips everything to pieces with his electrifying riffs and raw tones. Drummer David Simeone keeps everything at a feverish pace while John Hoder gives a jazzy vibe on bass. What makes the album something special has to be Downtown Boys’ saxophonist Adrienne Berry guesting on the entire record. Her immense skills on sax make the whole album seem as if it’s a soundtrack for a ’50s crime noir flick filled with endless action and intense car chase scenes.
The legendary Jay Berndt (who you might know from ’90s metal band Kilgore) produced the album at his studio Moto Destructo in Providence. You can tell that he wanted to capture Gavage’s rawness during the recording process. A fan favorite, “(Downtown) Where The Killers Are” is an ode to the danger that goes with being out at night. The song is bound to stick in your head for days once you give it a listen. Hoder starts the groove on bass in “Small Actors” and then the intensity gets raised when Berry joins in with her sax and Toth takes hold on vocals. The most energetic track is “Wheelwell”, from start to finish lyrically and musically it’s a perfect examination of the famous lifestyle of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
The Providence Garage Fest is going to be one of the most insane times of the year in the Creative Capital, props to the “Shybluespaceman” John White for organizing such an extravaganza. Along with Gavage you also have Attleboro surf-punk dynamos Neutrinos, Middleboro fuzzheads Black Beach, Providence riff masters Party Pigs, Philadelphia psychedelic soul act St. James & The Apostles and many more. Also worth noting is that Friday night’s Providence Garage Fest Kick-off And Pizza Party at Dusk is sponsored by Caserta Pizzeria (which means: FREE PIZZA!!).
Rhode Island Monthly Interview’s Adam Theroux on the 401 Film Festival
The Scoop on the 401 Film Fest
The free inaugural event features films and music videos by local and international talent.
This weekend, catch an iPhone film by a super talented fifth grader, a music video for a local garage pop band, a short featuring Corey Feldman (of The Goonies fame) and more great content at the first-ever 401 Film Festival. We caught up with festival director, Adam Theroux, to learn more about the event, which screens at the Arctic Playhouse in West Warwick on Friday night and the William Hall Library Auditorium in Cranston on Saturday afternoon.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I went to New England Tech for audio/visual. I’d already had some experience with audio, but I fell in love with video while I was there. Now I work for WPRI as a video editor, and I still do some independent film on my own.
There are lots of established film festivals out there already. Why start a new one?
I started this for zero-dollar independent filmmakers, not $20,000 indie filmmakers. We don’t have an outlet like this, especially not locally. We’re just a bunch of people getting together for the love of the art, not necessarily to make money.
Is the focus on local talent?
I wanted to have at least half of the selections be from Rhode Island; the last thing I wanted to do was not accept a Rhode Island submission, and we ended up having, for content reasons, to say no to two Rhode Island submissions. But I also wanted anyone to be able to enter. We got about 1,000 submissions in the end. It just took off and I got some great submissions.
What can attendees expect?
Everything from local talent in the music video showcase, including Roz and the Rice Cakes and Ravi Shavi, to a music video featuring Willie Nelson. It’s pretty hilarious stuff: One day I had this crazy idea to start a film festival, and then I received a short with Corey Feldman acting in it.
Some films are from people who are doing well in their field, which brings in some higher quality content. So we have a music video from a famous pop star from Kuwait and a video from a fifth grader from Rhode Island, which he made for a school project. He shot the whole thing on his cell phone. It’s inspiring.
Another inspiring thing: All funds raised will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State, right?
Yes, 100 percent of all funds raised through raffles and food. I’m a mentor, and it’s a blast. It’s really changed my life in the past year. I’ve seen a lot of good that it does. It benefits my life too, not just a child’s.
And admission is free?
Both days are free. We are expecting to sell out – well it’s hard to sell out when you’re not selling tickets but…. When I came up with the idea, I wasn’t expecting it to blow up as it has. The whole thing melted my heart in the greatest way. It’s free, it’s local and there’s a little something for everybody.
The Details: Nov. 13, 7-10 p.m. Arctic Playhouse, 117 Washington St., West Warwick. Nov. 14, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. William Hall Library Auditorium, 1825 Broad St., Cranston, 401filmfest.com.
Vanyaland Covers Jets Can’t Land’s ‘You Can’t Linger On’ EP
EP Premiere: Providence’s Jets Can’t Land serve up a skilled power-pop punch
Discovering pure power-pop in Rhode Island is no easy task, but Providence rock and roll quartet Jets Can’t Land seem to have it down to a science on their new EP You Can’t Linger On. A sound that’s an amalgamation of tones reminiscent of Sloan, Big Star, and Cheap Trick, the foursome keep it real with tight hooks and groovy guitar solos. Songs about the apocalypse, sci-fi films, and the shit that hurts give a sense of hopeless romantic nerdiness shouting out to the closeted individuals who also want to take someone out on a date.
Frontman and guitarist Eric Paul Meier lyrically gives a bit of a Roy Orbison vibe, a grand mix of catchy choruses, pop and being genuine. Kyle Jackson (whom you may know from local indie rock band Six Star General) gives a jolt of energy on lead guitar; his solos really stand out throughout the entire EP. Keith Swist soothes on backing vocals along with keeping the rhythms in check while on drums in sync with bassist Michael Bilodeau. These guys bring their best artistic qualities out with each track on You Can’t Linger On, but still find a way to blend together as a cohesive unit. It sums up as heartfelt, bare bones rock that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Celebrating the new EP, which you can hear below via Vanyaland premiere, Jets Can’t Land are actually part of a quadruple album release show at The Parlour this Saturday. Outlaw In Peru will be releasing their self-titled debut; Everett Bros. Moving Company (fronted by former Blizzard of ’78 vocalist Paul Everett) will be bringing their album Moving Misfortune; and Feng Shui Police and their caffeinated EP Coffee With The Feng Shui Police will also be available as well. It’s all being put on by Warren-based label 75orLess Records. You can’t get more local than that.
Until the weekend arrives, stream You Can’t Linger On below and check out all the amazing music that’ll be at The Parlour this Saturday.
Providence Monthly & 75orLess: The 2015 Providence Playlist
[abridged version below]
The music scene in Providence – and throughout Rhode Island – is insane. We’ve got more badass, super talented and hardworking musicians per capita than any other city in the world (don’t look that up, just go with it). But what’s more is we’ve got everything covered. Folk, rock, hip hop, punk; name a genre, cross pollinate it with another, hell just start making things up (Death-funk surf-rap!) and there’s almost definitely someone in RI doing it.
So where to start? We’ve assembled a crack team of musicians, promoters and supporters all plugged in to the local scene to give you your official 2015 local playlist and to tell you who you should be keeping an eye on. We’ve also got our five favorite records of the year, plus a look back at some shows that we felt best represent the eclectic nature of music in Providence.
Mark MacDougall, founder of 75orLess Records
1. “Stay” by Bob Kendall – Longtime Newport legend Bob Kendall is an indie pop magician, with echoes of REM, The db’s, and George Harrison.
2. “Double Nickels on the Dime” by Groundhawgs
3. “Huge Bruise (Live at Dusk)” by Black Oil Incinerator – Crusty gentlemen blowing out your eardrums with catchy hooks buried beneath an avalanche of amps and pedals.
4. “Credit Score” by Jodie Treloar
5. “Damn Unicorn” by Suicide Bill and the Liquors – A short, heartbreaking ballad; it’s the undiscovered anthem for all the schmucks you know still getting up at 5am every day for a job they hate.
Feng Shui Police
A trio of Brown University too-young-to-care weirdos from Newton, MA who have managed to successfully channel the influences of Half Japanese and Pavement with the charm of Jonathan Richmond. The local champions of Spazzy doo-wop and Elephant 6-influenced pop hooks. They are currently recording the follow-up to their 75orLess EP Thank You. –Mark MacDougall, founder of Providence indie music label 75orLess Records
Motif Magazine reviews the DVD Release Show for The Final Obsession
What’s the perfect way for a film to ring in its glorious transition to DVD? With live music, of course! That’s what was on tap at The Parlour on North Main in Providence last Saturday. Local musician and comedy whiz Adam Theroux (who you might know as Hank Sinatra Jr. ) recently directed a thrilling suspense film called The Final Obsession and a bunch of The Creative Capital’s finest gathered to celebrate the film’s DVD release. Singer-songwriter Dan White (who also acted in the film), indie fuzz fiends Six Star General, Theroux’s revival of his music project Bi Anal Ham Sandwich and hair metal maniacs Teazer put on a rocking array of riffs and laughs. As the saying goes, if you weren’t here then you weren’t anywhere.
Igniting the festivities with an acoustic guitar and keyboard, Theroux as Bi Anal Ham Sandwich took the stage with heavy doses of hilarity. Spelled wrong but on point, “Hyroglyphics” had Theroux singing about creating drawings of himself in his own image and how cool they’d be. An homage to an essential appliance, “Extension Cord” gave a long neglected outlet some love. Rick-rolling the crowd with a keyboard rendition of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” as a whistling take on No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” had everyone chuckling. He ending his performance with a request from the crowd, “Girl With Pink Eyes.”
With an elegant backwoods style, Dan White went up with an acoustic of his own for a soothing array of tunes. White has a booming and soulful voice that comes straight from the heart; it took over the room and it grabbed everyone’s undivided attention. A mix of songs telling stories of evading outlaws, heartbreak and self-doubt made for a magnificent set. It was really good to see White back playing again after a little hiatus. Make sure to catch him next time he plays in your neighborhood.
Straight out of Warren is a band very much loved by a certain columnist who writes for Motif — Six Star General got highly amplified. Old school punk in the vein of Husker Du and Built To Spill resonated throughout The Parlour with thunderous authority. The trio of Mark “Slick” MacDougall on bass, Kyle Jackson on guitar and Daniel Ulmschneider on drums kicked total musical ass. Slick’s bass has that raw, fuzzy tone you have to fall in love with. Jackson nailed the solos on his red hot rod fashioned guitar with precision. Ulmschneider proved he’s one of the most underrated drummers in The Ocean State by how powerful he is with his sticks. Six Star General should be putting out something new in the near future; keep track of MacDougall’s label 75orLess Records at 75orLess.com
Finishing the night off was a band that’s always a treat to see live. One of the best metal bands in Rhode Island, Teazer have a distinct habit of bringing the house down and on Saturday, they brought an epic amount of scorching guitar riffs and sheer, unadulterated intensity. There are few quartets as talented as Ray Manzera on guitar, Bobbi Deluca on bass, Bobbi’s brother Scotti “The Hammer” Deluca on drums and frontman Denny Palmari. These guys always bring the goods on stage, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden fans take notice. You’re guaranteed to have a good time when Teazer is playing, so go out and see them live to get rocked.
Overall, a very fun night. Fantastic music all around and for something equally fantastic, get a DVD copy of The Final Obsession. It features a few local celebrities showing their acting chops and it’s bound to send chills up your spine. Also, head over to The Parlour if you haven’t yet. They have something happening every night, and they have all the whiskey and beer you can ask for along with some fantastic food.
Order Your Copy Of The Final Obsession Here: http://thefinalobsession.weebly.com
The Parlour’s Website: http://theparlourri.com
Bi Anal Ham Sandwich On Last.Fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Bi+Anal+Ham+Sandwich
Six Star General’s Website: http://sixstargeneral.com
Teazer on BandCamp: https://teazerrocksyourfaceri.bandcamp.com
Motif Magazine reviews The Funcrushers and The Lincoln Tunnel
Alt-Nation: Handsome Pete and Lincoln Tunnel
Handsome Pete’s Birthday Shitshow – The Funcrushers – Self-Titled CD Release (75orLessRecords)
Longtime local music fixture Handsome Pete Lima’s annual birthday never fails to live up to its billing. This year will be no exception as it includes a self titled CD Release for Lima’s surf rock band, The Funcrushers, who no longer exist. His new surf rock band, The Anchorites, will play instead. That’s a little confusing so I contacted Handsome Pete to get the lowdown. As far as The Funcrushers CD, I’ve heard bits of the album over the years, but it was always around 4am in a practice space in Olneyville so those memories are sketchy. I feared the record was lost forever in a warehouse next to Dr. Dre’s Detox album. Happily, the lost Funcrushers record has resurfaced and is even better than I remembered. The all instrumental record is very much in the style of Man or Astro-Man? as far as spacey surf punk. Highlight tracks include the sprawling “Rampart,” “Seamantics” and the soothing “Fond Farewell.” The whole album is something one can listen to on repeat because it just has a great chill atmosphere for sunny days.
Marc Clarkin: There are a lot urban legends surrounding The Funcrushers. Who is in the band and how long have they been together?
Handsome Pete Lima: The Funcrushers are myself and Jesse Roy, who I’ve known since the 5th grade. We recorded the record in November 2008, and we only played together for maybe 6 months before that. There were never any plans for it to be an active project; initially we just wanted to document what we had written and I wanted to try my hand at recording and mixing. The entire process was kind of a nightmare up until this past year or so, when I finally learned the “right” way to approach mixing. Somehow a rough mix leaked and since then there has been great speculation that this was the greatest unreleased surf album ever created by two guys from Seekonk.
MC: Some call this record a very political instrumental record. Did it start out that way?
HPL: If you listen closely to the lyrics on this album you would be hard pressed to disagree with any of our political leanings. We are all things to all people
MC: I believe it was Cream magazine that likened the record as the surf rock answer to Dr. Dre’s Detox and GnR’s Chinese Democracy. Do you think that’s fair?
HPL: During the 6+ years it took to finish the record, I can totally relate. The only thing I can say for sure is that it’s better than Chinese Democracy, and I’ve never even heard it.
MC: Oh it was the best thing GnR ever put out! Who is in The Anchorites and how would you describe the sound?
HPL: The Anchorites are myself and Kevin Bowden on guitars, Bobby Gregory on drums, and Chris Monti on bass. The sound is based on the traditional surf rock style, but it’s a definitely a little rough around the edges. Man or Astro-Man? is obviously a huge influence along with Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet and maybe some of the twang of the Flat Duo Jets thrown in there.
MC: What are The Anchorites’ upcoming plans? And what is it about the band that has publications like The Source magazine saying that The Anchorites are far superior to any band today?
HPL: We’ve already started working on writing tracks for our debut EP. I’m hoping to have it out sometime before 2022. We just wanna show people that it takes a little more than reverb to have a “surf” sound. After such high praises, I’m really hoping they invite us to the Source awards. I wanna take a selfie with Diddy.
Handsome Pete’s Birthday Shitshow featuring performances by Teazer and The Anchorites will rock The Met Café on August 21. The show will also be your first chance to get the new CD by The Funcrushers.
The Lincoln Tunnel – Today 2.0 (75orLess Records)
The debut release from the Lincoln Tunnel is a mess of indie rock, Americana and mariachi horns thrown together like a Jackson Pollock painting where against all odds, it somehow works. On Today 2.0, Lincoln Tunnel come out swinging like Mike Tyson with the frenetic “Damn, I Wear It Well,” which has the gall to sound like a cross between The Gun Club and the Jim Carroll Band. “Big Decision” and “All Together Wrong” are rockers that get bailed out by big infectious choruses, but otherwise would have no redeeming value. The horns on “Friend of the Roses” invoke bands like Mariachi El Bronx, but I can’t picture singer/guitarist Christian Caldarone being able to pull off a sombrero. On “Memphis” they have the nerve to sound like pre-sober Replacements — think “Left of the Dial” on meth. “Makin’ Cents & Takin’ Vows” and “Line My Pockets” turn to Americana folk. Begrudgingly, I’ll admit to really liking the lyrics on the latter. “Ordinary Sun” was probably a mistake because it is just an all around good tune with a soaring skyscraper hook.
75orLess Records presents a triple CD release show featuring new biscuits and performances by Lincoln Tunnel, Karma Rocket, and Groundhawgs. As an added bonus, Jets Can’t Land will also rock the house and it all goes down at The Parlour on August 29.
– See more at: http://motifri.com/handsomepete2015/#sthash.wNDamMc8.wf5RMH6g.dpuf
Brook, Bear and the Elephant ‘Montreal’ Album Reviewed at Foster’s
Here’s what we know. Nate Laban and Eric Ott have both enjoyed individual successes in their own respective songwriting endeavors. We also know that they’re good friends. So, it makes sense then that at some point in time they’d join forces and pump out some creative jams. That time is now.
Under the band name Brook, Bear and the Elephant (joined by other Seacoast musical vets Sean Yadisernia on lead guitar and vocals, and Dan McGary on drums and vocals), Laban and Ott have crafted a collection of nine tunes that push the bounds of each other’s general comfort zones. The result is grandiose, and the collective whole of their debut, “Montreal” is eclecticly interesting and wholly satisfying, from the influences that earned both of them individual praise to the inclusion of a little “Pet Sounds” era Beach Boys psychedelia pop, and contemporary Tweedy-ish playfulness and experimentation.
The most impressive part about the collaborative journey these fellas have embarked on is the successful forging of two uniquely different voices and outputting memorable vocal harmonies throughout the entirety of the record. I’ve long written about how Ott’s voice is reminiscent of Michael Stype, and the same is true of Laban’s Elvis Costello-ish punk-injected croon. Mash ‘em up, and you get some interesting results.
One of the highlights for me is the track, “Normal, IL.” Among the record’s other eight tracks one of the two gentleman take the vocal lead, while the other harmonizes in accordance with the general feel of the tune. On “Normal, IL,” both take the lead for a turn (while the underlying harmonizing still takes place). The track is fairly mellow compared with the rest of the offerings, but is cut right in half by a solo that you might find as a working piece of a Traveling Wilbury’s song structure. Upon completion of that slicing six-string flame, both Laban and Ott finish out the tune in unison, as the lead, levels both equally matched. It’s mighty fine.
Sam Hill – Sonja
75OL-216 Sam Hill – Sonja CD
$8.00 S&H Included
Digital download is available here
Track Listing
1. 37 Rings 3:06
2. Serpents 3:59
3. Bullet 5:24
4. Scourge of the Warm Blooded 3:12
5. Wait For Me 3:00
6. Lithuanian Maiden 5:34
7. Electric Funeral 4:58
Sam Hill is the devil. The band originally formed in 2013 to be the backing band for some of Nate and Cam’s pop-punk tunes, but with the added influence of Jason and his harder hitting tastes turned into what is now Sam Hill. All members of the band have been playing regionally for 20+ years and have been friends for just as long. Themes on the record range from tree people (37 rings), to life taking a form of a bullet, to ice giants (scourge of the warm-blooded), to the love of the woods by Maine’s own North Pond Hermit: Mr. Christopher Knight (Wait for me). The song ‘Serpents’ refers to an experience of losing 3 friends in a freezing winter river and being the last to see them alive. Lithuanian Maiden was a piece inspired by a piece of artwork by Joshua Belanger, a local NH artist.
Feng Shui Police video for “Shit, Man”
The Sound reviews Sam Hill’s new album ‘Sonja’
Nate Laban was born to rock and roll. He’s been an integral part of the Seacoast music scene for more than 20 years, always with a contagious smile on his face. His career has spanned a multitude of solo incarnations and bands including Brook, Bear and The Elephant, The Frosting, and Wallos. Over the years, he’s done it all, from anti-folk to skate punk to country; his quirky storytelling works in most any genre. When ex-Satan’s Teardrops drummer Jason Lara steered Sam Hill, their newly formed group, toward playing metal, it was a natural fit. Their debut album, “Sonja,” is a fresh throwback to metal’s classic days of mythical creatures and tales.
It’s not surprising Laban’s vocal stylings and pop know-how work well over galloping riffs and Tony Iommi-influenced solos. His powerful voice and registry have always been suited for metal. Never one to settle into a genre or project for long, Laban indulges in this chance to let loose a torrent of epic songs. The result is an inventive alchemy of an accomplished songwriter’s take on a new genre. Recorded by the band, “Sonja” has a slightly lo-fi sound that gives it a nostalgic feel — think “Day of Reckoning”-era Pentagram meets newer Saint Vitus.
The opener, “37 Rings,” is a stoner metal jam that chronicles a tree being cut down in winter; it doubles as an introspective story and features a chorus that shows off Laban’s hook-y aptitude. “Scourge of the Warm Blooded” displays his writing chops in an epic about a frozen giant who has come to destroy man: “He has had as much as he can take, enormous the patience, equal in rage.” And their cover of Black Sabbath’s “Electric Funeral” is spot on. In Sam Hill, Laban has found a transcendent medium for his harder-edged endeavors. Let’s hope it lasts