New review from Spain!
Thanks Oscar Garcia!! Oscar writes a killer rock blog called “Kick Out The Jams” – it’s in Spanish (he’s from the Catalan region of Spain) http://oscarkotj.blogspot.com/2010/07/modeens.html
Here’s a translation (I left some of the phrasing as it literally translates to ‘Spanish’ – so it may seem a little disjointed at times – but I think it’s charming!):
The Modeens are a duo formed by Cristina Williams (bass and voice) and Jamie Laboz (guitars, organ and voice). Each had a career on their own until their paths crossed in the Big Apple. From one coast to another, they landed in Los Angeles, and then from the city of stars to the deserts of Arizona, where they decided to create this band with the help of J Fen Ikner on drums.
The result of their passion for psychedelic and garage bands of the golden era of the sixties, this album is born in which they invite you to take a stroll through these sounds – reborn in the 90’s with vintage instruments [Ed. I think he may have meant reborn in this decade?] – in a collection of ten songs of their own creation. Their sound is in accordance with our current times but without staying put in one single era nor with a sound of just imitating.
The record starts with a beat rhythm that owes as much to Bo Diddley as to the great organ players of the “swinging” beat in “Tumbleweed”; in “The Day Will Come” they give typical garage sounds articulated in two voices; they distill R&B in “Thang” to enjoy together with the classics of the Pretty Things or Downliners Sect. Later on they go into the studio of Joe Meek and ask “Where are the Spacemen?” while with pyschedelic effects they play two luminous different versions of “Sonic Daydream”; at half tempo and without ceasing to play psychedelic, they set an eye on the Byrds in “Better Late Than Never”; they cover the classic of Graham Gouldman, “Heart Full of Soul” and create a great version. Without going over one single influence and with doses of rock and roll and western, they create “Showdown” and they close with “Zombie Girl” where the Martians’ effect (hitting surfing sounds) create a great theme that without doubt will make wild all the lovers of Man or Astroman?
This is a record that, once you’ve decided to pay attention to its title, is impossible to stop listening to.
Spillapalooza!! Raising awareness of the oil spill Aug 1st @ The Hut
We are proud to be a part of Spillapalooza, a whole day of great bands to raise money and awareness for the Gulf oil spill on Sunday, August 1st at The Hut, home of the 4th Avenue tiki head!
Organized by Kevin Henderson of The Swigs, local bands will donate their time and all proceeds will go to benefit the Center for Biological Diversity, a Tucson-based environmental nonprofit that is suing BP for violating the Clean Water act and generally holding their feet to the fire – as well as sounding the alarm on various other environmental no-nos going on in the world. The details are below – if you’re on Facebook, please RSVP to the event page here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=133545626663270&ref=ts
Details:
Video mashup from Sky Bar gig!
Big thanks to Shawn Gorritz of 3Quartermoon for filming and editing this wicked video mashup of our show last Saturday night. (NSFW – some language towards the end)
Proyecto Vision Benefit Saturday June 5th
Dr. Dan is not only an eclectic curator of Tucson’s music scene on his weekly show “Locals Only”, but he also teaches ophthalmology for University of Arizona as well as an activist for promoting vision health services in Latin America through Proyecto Vision. We are proud to play at one of his famous benefits for Proyecto Vision this weekend along with Seashell Radio and Young Mothers – great night for a great cause:
Saturday, June 5, 2010
8:00pm – 11:30pm
Location:
229 N. First Avenue (at 8th Street)
Suggested donation of $5 to $10.
In the news!
2nd Saturdays was a huge hit – almost 7K people he streets, checking out the music and vending booths. We sat on the cafe chairs outside of the Grill and it actually felt like the East Village! Thanks to all yall who came out and made it a fab night. On top of that, we were featured on the Metro section of the paper – check it out!
First Review + April Shows
Had an awesome cd release party – thanks to all yall who came out. It was a blast finally playing the mainstage at PLUSH. Kudos to fellow bands The Monitors and Tracy Shedd – great night!
Got our first review from Gene Armstrong in the Tucson Weekly:
“Here’s a pleasant surprise: a surf-garage-R&B band playing rambunctious rave-ups that don’t blindly parrot 1960s-style music. Instead, The Modeens take a familiar sound, borrow its tropes and motifs, and rework it, throwing in a modern spin.”
Read the whole thing here.
After such an intense period working on the album, we had to take a break. But happy to say, the tunes are in distribution now. You can buy “Take A Ride With The Modeens” in all sortsa places!
For more deets as well as listening to all the tracks from the cd, go to the handy dandy Modeens Music Page:
http://www.themodeens.com/music/
Next show is coming up Friday at PLUSH opening for the band The Willowz. Cool stuff! $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Read all about it here:
http://www.plushtucson.com/shows.html?band_id=389
Coming up after is a highly recommended fundraiser for the American Friends Service Committee: Justicepalooza @ The Hut on April 25th with Silver Thread Trio, The El Camino Royales and Tryst.
And big thanks to KXCI for all the spins they’ve been giving our record! It’s one of the best community radio stations in the country so give em a try: 91.3 FM or kxci.org.
Up on iTunes/Amazon MP3
“Take A Ride With The Modeens” now in iTunes and Amazon MP3…you wanna get physical, though, mosey on over here: www.themodeens.com/music/
Red Room 03/26/10
Cmon hang out with us Friday night at Red Room – we’ll play while you drink. Anytime between 10pm and midnight will do just fine.
Details:
Release Party * March 6th * PLUSH Main Stage
We’ve been working our asses off on a new cd and it’s gonna be unleashed on March 6th at PLUSH! It’s part of a special Triple Release Night at Plush with honey-voiced singer-songwriter Tracy Shedd and power trio The Monitors! All for only $5.
Details:
New website! New CD!
Been way overdue but with the new year (AND new decade) comes a new look and sound for The Modeens!
We finished up our new cd, Take A Ride With The Modeens – check out some tracks in the jukebox at the top of the site. But you won’t be able to get yer mitts on a copy til our release party on March 6th at Plush. It’ll be a triple release night with honey-voiced Tracy Shedd and power trio The Monitors!
We’re saving up aaaall our mojo til then so mark yer calendars now!
