|
RockinTrivia Test your knowledge |
RockinForum Add your comments |
|
|||||||
| |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
The Wavves
One man projects have a way of becoming bands. Nathan Williams started the Wavves, a lo-fi Surf Punk concept with the release of a self-titled album in '08. That created a bit of a buzz for the follow-up, less than a year later, "Wavvves" (with the added "v").
Having assembled a band, Williams and company toured. But it all hit the fan in Barcelona at the '09 Primavera Sound Festival. Fueled by a combination of ecstasy and Valium, Williams fought with drummer Ryan Ulsh. That stuff happens - especially when drugs are involved. However, he crossed the line when he started insulting the crowd. Not liking his attitude, the Spanish audience began pelting him with bottles and other trash.
Admitting the obvious the next day, Williams said he was addicted to alcohol. The remainder of the European tour was cancelled. And as might be expected, Ulsh left the group, replaced in the short-term by Zach Hill and for the long-term by Billy Hayes, formerly of Jay Reatard's band. Also joining from the late Reatard's outfit was bassist Stephen Pope.
During the summer of '10 (August) Wavves issued "King Of The Beach." The set landed on the College Radio Top 10 Albums list and a couple "best albums of the year" surveys (mid-pack).
The single "Post Acid" was featured in a cartoon called: "Scott Pilgrim vs. the Animation." "Take On The World" and "When Will You Come?" were used to promote the MTV series Awkward, a comedy-drama series about the life of 16-year-old struggling with her identity, especially after an accident is misconstrued as a suicide attempt.
After the "King Of The Beach" supporting tour Hayes left in November '10 and was replaced by Jacob Cooper, formerly of The Mae Shi.
The Wavves '11 release was "Life-Sux."
Albums:
2008 Wavves
2009 Wavvves
2010 King Of The Beach
2011 Life-Sux EP
"King Of The Beach," easily the Wavves best effort to date, refines and expands the band's mix of Punk cut with Surf. The title track features heavily echoed handclaps and for "Super Soaker" Williams displays his falsetto. But there is a riptide operating just below the surface. On "Idiot" Williams sings of "surfing in my mind" but when it comes to apologizing he's dismissive - "I'd like to say I'm sorry but it wouldn't mean shit."
When the Wavves move from the Beach Boys' mid-60s period ("When Will You Come") and start mining late-60's psychedelic adventures that things get really interesting ("Baseball Cards," "Convertible Balloon" and "Linus Spacehead)." Still though, "Post-Acid," a Punk song with pop vocals, is the ace track.
"Life Sux" EP opens with "Bug," a great shot of Surf Rock. "I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl" is cheery noise and "Nodding Off," with Best Coast, is like riding a rollercoaster at the end of the pier. Both songs get a buzz going, a guitar drone underneath that anchors each song. "Poor Lenore" comes right out of '60's Garage Rock while "Destroy" is Punk brilliant.