published: 17 /
12 /
2001
Label:
Revivalist
Format: CD
New York power pop trio 'Revivalist' have chosen to put out their self-titled debut CD as an internet release only, while they search for a record deal. The CD, a 5 track EP, is limited to 500 copies
Review
New York power pop trio 'Revivalist' have chosen to put out their self-titled debut CD as an internet release only, while they search for a record deal. The CD, a 5 track EP, is limited to 500 copies and merges together the simple, but structured tunes of groups like 'Pavement' with the grandiose, epic sounds of bands like 'Oasis', 'Blur' and 'The Flaming Lips'.
The band, which consists of Scott Schneider, the group's songwriter and leader, on vocals and guitar ; Dan Swartz on bass, and Michael Hoffman on drums and percussion, was formed out of the ashes of two other New York groups, 'Super Sixteen' and 'Narcosis' in late 1998. After several months of rehearsal, the EP was recorded in the middle of last year in a day long session at Zippah Studios in Boston. It is co-produced by Schneider and Pete Weiss, Zippah's owner and regular producer.
The opening track, the appropriately-titled 'Only a Day', begins slowly with a gently-paced, resonating guitar melody, but quickly surges into layered, swirling semi-distorted power pop. The song for the remainder of its running length continues to dip and fluctuate between the two styles, with Schneider's vocals, his lyrics pinched from a case study written for a business training seminar, at points ironically wistful, at others more forceful and urgent and gelling together the sound.
The thundering second track 'Gemini' meanwhile is backed by an echoing,whirring mass of guitar feedback and both gutteral and driven is about a soldier in the First World War who promoted from the rank of corporal saves the day. The middle song 'Stereo Down' has the band further displaying their sense of humour, and exuberant and gleeful in sound, with sudden flurrying rushes of synthesiser from guest musician, Erina Bowman, has Schneider being told by his wife to turn the stereo down. The penultimate track 'Star Faithfull', however, is more dark, and about the nineteen thirties murder of film starlet Star Faithfull, is almost balladic in style and is softer and more introspective in tone. The final tune 'Arizona', again in another neat contrast, is a thrashing, churning rocker with frenzied, rattling drumbreaks from Hoffman and, about a friend of Schneider's with a drink problem, brings the EP to a soaring and fitfully dynamic close.
Both beautifully layered and constructed, this EP is an inspired and most impressive fifteen minutes of music. Intelligent, thoughtful, experimental , and both heartfelt and humorous with lyrics that tackle a range of topics and subjects, it makes a powerful and auspicious debut. With songs as strong and as well crafted as these, Revivalist deserve to find that record deal very soon.
If any record label is interested in working with Revivalist, they can get in contact with Scott Schneider either through Pennyblackmusic or alternatively through the band's website www.revivalist.com
Track Listing:-
1
Only A Day
2
Gemini
3
Stereo Down
4
Star Faithful
5
Arizona