Abbey Sky

 

Photography © Bryson Roatch Huge thanks to Bryson for letting us use his photo, check out his work if you're in the Sacramento area and need quality photography. He does everything from family photos to band shoots. Drop him a line!

Let me take a step down from my last post about our heavy-hitting rockers over at 21st Century Goliath, and take the time to tell you about Abbey Sky. These guys hail from Orangevale, CA and carry a little bit of a different tune than most of the bands I cover on Music Versus Gasoline, but they're just as deserving.

Stanley Newton (mic), Jeff Matej (guitar), Thomas Tubbs (bass and acoustic guitar), and Johnny Vance (drums) put together a mellow but powerful sound that combines passion with the muted tones of an intimate and acoustic set even when they're not unplugged. I'm a sucker for piano, and they feature this instrument in several of their songs. Abbey Sky's music is quickly making its way onto my playlist for downtime and those days when I just want to chill and try to remember how beautiful the world is.

This is one of those bands that you tend to make you want to close your eyes and just allow it to consume you. Stanley's vocals have a rich and smokey flavor that's definitely appealing to the music-lover's palette, and I highly recommend Abbey Sky to anyone who needs some music to just relax to, or anyone who needs a pick me up from a bad day. If you like their music, head on over to their page and let them know you feel it!

Like Abbey Sky on Facebook!

Mike Snodgrass

If you’re looking for some feel good music, Mike Snodgrass is your guy. He is a natural with music because he’s been around it for his entire life; I guess you could say it runs in the family. He began drumming when he was young and was highly inspired by Carter of Dave Matthews Band. This is evident in his singer/songwriter, highly precussive style. He learned guitar to play more songs of this genre and has grown into the acoustic/folk rock, singer/songwriter style that he expresses in his music today.

When asked where he draws his inspiration from, he answered that the river near his home in West Virginia was a peaceful place where he used to go to write. He is influenced musically by some great artists such as: Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz, Brett Dennen, Ray LaMontagne, Ben Harper, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, and many more. He also enjoys many classic rock bands as well.

Mike recently moved to Knoxville, Tennessee from Fayetteville, West Virginia to further his music career. Although he loves his hometown, he is ready to branch out and get his music to new audiences. He said it was something that he and his brother had talked about for years and now they have both finally taken the plunge. He hopes to get his name out to the folks of Knoxville and hopefully someday tour the country and hopefully the world! He has played shows at many venues in Knoxville and is currently setting up a Spring tour that takes him all the way to New York City!

His song Love You from his latest CD, Experience, is a beautiful song with a great range of vocals from Mike.

 Love You by Mike Snodgrass

He also does an awesome cover song now and then.

Like what you hear? You can buy his album for only $8!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikesnodgrass

Also, ‘Like’ him on Facebook and become a fan of his on Reverbnation!

Mike Snodgrass' Facebook Page

Mike Snodgrass on Reverbnation

21st Century Goliath

When I was told to poke around 21st Century Goliath's facebook page, the first thing I noticed was their bio section. I quote: "We're not here to pander. None of that 'this is the hottest new thing' or 'the best band this side of Beaver County' jive. No boring testimony about the 'hardships' we've conquered to get here. It doesn't matter. It's simple: loud guitars, raw vocals, and a crushing rhythm section make good rock and roll. We got it in droves."

If that didn't have me entering their fandom right off the bat, I jumped right onto their ReverbNation page and fell in love with their song "Love Me Again". It's catchy, smooth, powerful... A seamless rock'n'roll song that is a testament to exactly what the rocker in all of us wants to hear. I've been looping the three songs I can get my paws on over and over... I can only hope the appeal wears off soon so I can be functional again

21st Century Goliath is from North Carolina, and they're currently making their rounds with shows in the state right now if you're lucky enough to catch them at a local venue. They are made up of Tony Leone on the mic, Scott Roby and Grayson Flippin on Guitar, Cameron Ayers on Bass, and Samuel McCoy on Drums.

Check 21st Century Goliath Out on Facebook!

Red Fang

What do you get when you mix heavy metal, hard rock, and stoner metal together in a cauldron with long hair and big beards thrown in the mix? What you get is Red Fang!

Making up this band you have Bryan Giles on guitar and vocals, Aaron Beam on bass and vocals, David Sullivan on guitar, and John Sherman on drums. Each one of these guys have been around the Portland, Oregon band scene for a while and have no doubt made an impression on anyone that attended Mayhem Fest this year.

Their self titled album starts off with "Prehistoric Dog" and keeps you locked in until the last song "Witness." There are very few albums I can listen to the whole way through from start to finish without skipping a track. Just when you get to the more mellow slower paced song "Humans Remain Human Remains" the album picks it back up with "Good to Die." If you have yet to see the bands first music video I highly suggest you do yourself and favor and watch Prehistoric Dog.

With Red Fang's second album "Murder the Mountains" there is much improvement over the production and over all sound of the music. The boys really stepped it up with the first track "Malverde", a sludgy hard hitting song with thunderous drums and bass along with distorted guitars and keeps it going with the catchy guitar rifts and lyrics in "Wires." The band released their second music video along with this album. This video has money, explosions, comedian Brian Posehn, a 1979 Impala station wagon, milk, a pinball machine, and lots and lots of things getting smashed up! Check it out!

Red Fang is currently on tour with Mastodon and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Check out Red Fangs website for tour dates as well as songs from both albums!

The Lost Souls Club

 

"My body has never felt like home: it grinds and tears and gets worn down, no different to a stone."

-I Know I Spoke Too Soon

The Lost Souls Club is made up of some friends from overseas. I was introduced to these guys offhandedly by a friend from the UK who was subsequently friends with the lead singer of tLSC. tLSC is made up of Jon Tufnell, Simon Jackson, James Freemantle, and Jon Lamont. Their sound is unique, pleasant, but somewhat dark and with an astonishing depth of sound. Click the link at the bottom of this post to listen to their song "I Know I Spoke Too Soon", and you'll see what I mean. Far easier to show you than tell you what I mean. You'll be leaning into your speakers to hear every last syllable Jon utters (am I in love? Maybe just a little bit).

Recently, I was able to ask Jon a few questions, so here's a mini interview to get you more acquainted with them as a band, and to get your hopes up for future US shows!

Me: Who are some bands that inspired you as a musician?

Jon: Well there's the bands that inspired me to take up music in the first place like Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and The Hollies. All my dad's old records. Then there's the ones that are inspiring our sound now: The White Stripes, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Gliss, Johnny Cash, Springsteen's Nebraska album, Neil Young, The Kills, The Dead Weather, Led Zep, Nine Inch Nails. The list is ongoing.

Me: Are you enjoying international touring?

Jon: Yep, international touring has been an eye opener and a true pleasure. It's what I have been dreaming of doing since I started playing music so I'm like an excited kid. Any minor gripes are just too small to bother mentioning.

Me: Have any intentions of touring in the States?

Jon: We'd love to tour the USA, however at this stage that decision has a lot more to do with booking agents, labels and the like than it does to do with us. A lot of our favourite bands are American and to get over there and gig with them would be incredible.

Check Out The Lost Souls Club on Facebook! 

  

Spence

"God, help me make it through this night, I've been smothered with lies." 

-Walk Away

Let me explain how I came across this little band from Los Angeles before I get into the nitty gritty. Yes, it's important. I'm all about a band that's real, and a band that's made up of down-to-earth members who like to get to know the people who listen to their music. I received a rather quirky, but warm message on facebook from Spence's vocalist, and he asked me to check out the band but not before we had a nice conversation about Papa Roach and small town venues. I'm not the only future fan he's stopped to talk to before introducing to his band either. This made me extremely happy, because it's rare to find someone as friendly and personable as one mister Daniel David. It helped that the music was awesome, too. I won't lie.

Spence is made up of Daniel David (as previously mentioned) on mic and guitar, John Huldt on guitar, Kelly Mead on bass, and Michael Laylee on drums. This is a band that's very involved with their fans, and that's key to success of course. A band is it's live show, and without devoted fans there's no show. Their modest fan base is full of most obviously devoted people, and I'm definitely one of those people.

Their sound is very guitar driven like a nice, typical rock band but is accented with just the right amount of synthesizers and electronic reverb. Daniel has a strong but oddly gentle voice that is powerful but never overbearing, he brings just the right energy to the music, just enough grunge to tease.

Check out Spence on Facebook! 

 

Get Your Freak On

            I am part a minor, part a major chord, 

                       I am one huge ambivalent smorgasbord

Freak Kitchen, in simple terms, is a heavy metal-rock conglomeration that hails from Sweden. Look a little deeper, and you find that their music (in the band's own words) is a “corny little heavy-pop-rock-latin-world-jazz-avant-garde-metal-blues-record straight from hell.”  How could you not love a group that proudly proclaim I am a Viking straight from hell? Freak Kitchen has seven albums to their name, with their most recent release being Land of the Freaks in 2010. They are currently wrapping up their first-ever North American tour, which will end on September 11th at The Hangout in Florence, SC. Check out their stats below.

Band Members

Mattias “IA” Eklundh - Vocals & Guitar

Christer Örtefors - Bass Guitar & Vocals

Björn Fryklund - Drums

Albums

Land of the Freaks - 2010

 

Organic - 2005

Move - 2002

Dead Soul Men - 2000

Freak Kitchen - 1998 

Spanking Hour - 1996

Appetizer - 1994 

(My Personally) Favorite Songs 

Hateful Little People (Live at Turku 2010) 

                               

Some Kind of Love Song (with the Linkoping Jazz Orchestra)
 

Chest Pain Waltz (with the Linkoping Jazz Orchestra) 

Forgive Me, I’m Swedish 

Check out Freak Kitchen’s Web Site and their pages on Facebook and MySpace for more information and music. 

The V-Roys

The V-Roys is a Americana rock band located in Knoxville.  It was voted the best band in Knoxville on Metro Pulse.  (metropulse.com)  The V-Roys feature Scott Miller on the guitar and vocals, Mic Harrison on the guitar and vocals, Paxton Sellers on the bass, and Jeff Bills on the drums.

Facebook

No Resolve

 

"Even though it's been awhile, I forgot how much we'd moved on." - Bleed

 

No Resolve is an alternative rock band out of Detroit. It is made up of members Oscar Pegorraro on the mic, Jason Hatmaker with rhythm, Johnny Luv on lead guitar, Derek Bjornson on drums, and bassist Dennis Patterson. This band is made up of all extremely talented musicians, but what seems to keep me listening is their ability to have a 'new' sound with every song, while maintaining what makes them unique to start with.

Most bands you come across have that signature preference, they have the ability to move you in one way more than another. These guys though? I can’t decide what they’re better at!  Every song brings something new to the table, though you can still hear a new song and say “That’s No Resolve, no doubt”.

Of course, that also makes it difficult for me to pick just one song to demonstrate the level of awesomeness these five guys bring to the music scene. I picked my personal favorite for good measure, but I highly suggest you add them on facebook and check out the rest of their music. They currently have no upcoming shows listed on their website, which is all the more reason to add them and keep your eyes open for a good show!

Check out No Resolve's Facebook! | Listen to Their Music on Myspace

Like the Music Versus Gasoline’s blog page on FACEBOOK to hear “Control You” by No Resolve!