Description
New York quartet The Damnwells don't play it safe. Describing their music as 'rock with problems,' front man Alex Dezen's dreamy, languorous phrasing and majestic melodies drive the band. With Dezen on vocals and guitar, former Whiskeytown drummer Steven Terry, bassist Ted Hudson, and guitarist Dave Chernis round out the line-up. PMR + 1 (Poor Man's Record plus one bonus song), finds the band at their finest, crafting beautiful pop songs propelled by The Damnwells love for a great rock song. The songs get stuck in your head, while you tap your feet to the infectious rhythms. You keep hearing the songs even after they're done, singing them in the shower, while you walk down the street, and in your car. Harnessing the power of their live shows, The Damnwells make sure that you remember not only their name, but their sound, each song possessing it's own distinct melody, all the while sounding undeniably like The Damnwells. Constant touring and recording has kept the band busy. Tours with Josh Rouse, Mason Jennings, and Slobberbone have helped the band find an ever-growing audience in each market they hit. They've also played several shows with Cheap Trick (where they sold an astonishing amount of merchandise each night). Look for the band on the road constantly, as they tour the East Coast, Midwest, and, recently, the West Coast, helping to spread the word of The Damnwells one fan at a time. REVIEWS * The Pittsburgh Pulp (July 2002) The Damnwells' press kit will probably fill up soon with articles mentioning drummer Steven Terry's brief tenure with alt-country poster kids Whiskeytown. He played on Stranger's Almanac, their major label breakthrough. However, the New York quartet doesn't bear much sonic resemblance to Ryan Adams' work; instead they mine a territory closer to slow, hypnotic pop. Vocalist Alex Dezen's drowsy vocals and the band's thick blend of rumbling bass and chiming guitar takes the band closer to Radiohead. A loop of what sounds like mellotron bloops drones throughout the slow, dynamic 'While You Can.' At the same time, the Damnwells' songs have a Middle American rock feel beneath the layers of sonic gauze. Dezen freely admits the influence of such writers as Tom Petty. 'If you want to learn how to write a song and put a song together, listen to Tom Petty records,' he told the online zine Swizzle-Stick. 'There is no fat on any of those songs.' This aversion to pork can be found in the dreamy soundscape of 'H.C.E.' -- MIKE SHANLEY * The Village Voice (July 2002) To be successful in the music industry, you need good people behind you, good people before you, and talent, luck and an uncle in high places. The Damnwells have good people behind them (Roadwork Music), good people before them (a growing, loyal fan base), talent (see and hear them), luck (never step on cracks), and...and...damn, well. Who needs an uncle, when you rock? With Slobberbone and Tandy. (Aber) * In Music We Trust Not a band to be pigeonholed, The Damnwells' debut release, a six song E.P., is an understated rock masterpiece. An album that wears it's heart on it's sleeve without sounding pout-y or pretentious, delivers memorable pop hooks, and knows how to rock, passively coming out of your stereo and doing what it does, regardless if you're paying attention or not. And it is because of that it is so beautiful. The simplicity collides with the complex, the fearless hovers over the unsure, and the lively emotions overshadow the soothing melodies that guide the songs. 'Have To Ask' is a prime example of what fuels the band. The song starts out soft and impulsive, reeling you in with an outcry of emotions, before launching into the guitar-driven rock chorus. Echoing back to the quaint verse, the band has you on your tippy-toes before re-introducing the rock and shaking you with vibrancy and passion. 'The Trade' is a meditative acoustic singer-songwriter offering that makes you focus on the depth of the songwriting, while the subtle pop leanings give you enough hooks to latch on to. And then there is the mid-tempo 'H.C.E.', which opens the album. A lyrically strong piece that comes alive with lines like 'I've never kissed a boy, but I've hit a girl', and has you begging for the song never to end. A utopian musical offering that relaxes you and gives you a piece of Zen without leaving the comfort of your couch, easy chair, or car seat. The Damnwells are primed to be stars, the undeniably warm melding of radio-friendly pop structures and passionate lyricism that will have even the hardest of hard indie hipsters wishing The Damnwells were still playing their basement parties on the weekend. I'll give it an A. (Alex Steininger) * TwinCities.com Attention, lost lovers of the Feelies, Leatherwoods, and/or Waxwings. This six-song EP from New York's best pop band opens with the winsome whisper 'I might stay up all night, or fall in love once it's light/I could be the boy who ran away/But I came back to see you one day.' It reads like rock generica, sure, but sung as it is - with true longing and boozy wiles - and backed by acoustic and electric guitars, it's pure guava. (Jim Walsh) * Chicago Arts and Entertainment (June 2002) With a style that ranges from rock to pop to the occasional earnest ballad, the Damnwells gave the audience a lot to listen to in their hour-long set. Their intricate pop style allows the listener to hone in on any of the instruments and find the musician doing something pretty interesting. The Damnwells are a great band to take a girlfriend to, without a doubt. Their lyrics are romantic, but intelligent and introspective. They have something for just about everyone. Within all these labels, the Damnwells come out with something of their own, an amalgam of sounds that feels vaguely familiar and comforting, yet somehow unexplored. Perhaps it was the energy they instilled in the music, but it worked. It helps that Martyr's sound system and acoustics are among the best in the city. With music this detailed, the sound system is integral to the success of the band. The audience definitely thought so. They received a great round of applause at the end of their set, and within 20 minutes, several tables filled with merchandise bearing the band's symbol, a heart inside a triangle. Should you go see this band? You Damnwell better. (Greg Butler) * The Columbus Alive (June 2002) Hovering around a year in existence, New York-based the Damnwells are still fairly wet behind the ears and only have a self-released EP to their name. Listening to it, though, one can be fairly certain they'll be around for awhile. The record is hardly groundbreaking; in fact, what it mostly has going for it is that it's so comfortably familiar. One can clearly hear bits and pieces of the last 10 years of alt-rock-from Everclear to the Jayhawks. Led by singer and songwriter Alex Dezen and featuring former Whiskeytown drummer Steven Terry among others, the band is at it's best when it's most pensive, specifically on the leadoff Here Comes Everyone. This song shows off some creative touches of keyboards while revealing distinctive songwriting skills. The Damnwells will play first while Fatkid Dodgeball and Mrs. Children are also on the bill. (Stephen Slaybaugh) * The Boston Phoenix (June 2002) The Brooklyn indie-pop band the Damnwells can boast a drummer who used to be in Whiskeytown, but the real jewel is singer/guitarist Alex Dezen, whose dusky, hearthrobby way with a dreamy, languorous phrase and a majestic melody reminds us of, like, that dude from Goo Goo Dolls? Fronting late-model Wilco? But in a good way? Catch them tonight at T.T. The Bear's Place, 10 Brookline Street in Central Square, with Royal City, Charlie Chesterman, and Barn Burning. (Carly Carioli) * Fracture Fan Zine (UK) THEDAMNWELLS - 'PMR' CD/ 26:08 I got a copy of New York's THEDAMNWELLS demo a little while back and it blew me away in a totally sappy way, and this, their first release does exactly that too. I know this will probably put as many people off reading this as it will attract, but these guys play heartfelt, mid-paced, ultra-poppy, melancholic rock music, like the finest moments of SENSEFIELD, CHAMBERLAIN, modern JIMMY EAT WORLD and BUFFALO TOM combined into a sentimental and soulful rock band. The songs have immaculate structures and are played beautifully; each instrument seems to fill the songs with confidence and style, and of course the vocals hit all the right spots, from introspective sadness to powerful persuasion. This is sort of sound that could make THEDAMNWELLS into a massive band, and considering that they claim no rights over anything besides being a rock band, who could deny them that? If I could get this on the radio or on the TV instead of the faceless, industry drone that we're usually subjected to then I would accept it with more than open arms. Heart-achingly good. (RR) * Miles of music DAMNWELLS - Heart Hazard EP Presented in a hand stamped slipcase with no song information, as was the previous stellar 6-track EP, or PRM (Poor Man's Record), the latest from thedamnwells will sit comfortably next to it's predecessor. One might even shuffle the two and the combined 12 tracks will make for a terrific full length. On Heart Hazard, thedamnwells carry on with their rich and impassioned blend of roots-pop. But this time they have added a decidedly edgier tone to some of these fine tracks. 'While You Can' adopts a Brit-pop attitude without sounding out of place. Album closer 'Goodnight, Tonight', with it's droning Phillip Glass-like guitar phrasings and wandering sax duel toward the end, may seem in contrast to what you would now expect, but it comes off quite well also. Sounding like a less inflective Todd Thibaud, singer Alex Dezen has just the right amount of grit and melody to imbue these songs with heartfelt conviction. * New York Post (April 2002) The Strokes won't save rock and roll, but the Yayhoos will. With ex-Georgia Satellite Dan Baird on the mike, the Yayhoos make rock pure fun again. The band's at the new comfy Zipper (336 W. 37th St., at Eighth Avenue; [212] 563-0480). Don't miss the openers, the Damnwells, a rock act which moves from captivating acoustic songwriter fare to escalating rock and more atmospheric guitar tunes. Second chance: The Damnwells perform every Monday in May at Arlene Grocery (95 Stanton St., at Ludlow Street; [212] 358-1633 (Mary Huhn) * Digital City: New York The Damnwells are the kind of band that every boy envies and every girl dreams of. This New York City quartet plays rock 'n' roll the way it is meant to be played, while constantly evolving their craft. Under the leadership of singer/guitarist Alex Dezen, the band plays compelling alterna-pop bouyed by twangy, hypnotic guitar and hook-laden choruses. While Dezen churns out new material at absurd rates, the Damnwells are far more than a backup band for a pretty face who writes catchy songs. Bassist Ted Hudson, guitarist Dave Chernis an ex-Whiskeytown drummer Steven Terry employ just enough dynamic and warm texture to make each song prime for commercial radio or breaking hearts. Their songs draw equally from classic rock, folk, indie and even grunge sensibilities. It's only a matter of time before the lines will be too long, so catch them while you can. -- Eric Elbogen.
