ABC Pick

The Vinyl Strangers, The Winter Sounds

Thursday, April 20, Lunch Paper

originally published April 19, 2006

The Vinyl Strangers are a classic incestuous Athens band - in a good way. Guitarist-vocalist Joe Guerzo explains: “[Bassist] Steve Cox and I have played in Flood City Shootout together for three years. [Guitarist-vocalist] Reid Howland has been one of my best friends over the past 10 years. [Drummer] Ian Werden was actually living at my place when we first started jamming.” Never mind all the other bands that boast members of this four-piece, suffice it to say, the number closes in on double digits. As such, the Vinyl Strangers may be little more than a labor of love by four guys who get along swimmingly.

While the Vinyl Strangers’ harmonious personal history would make an exceedingly dull "Behind the Music," the band's sound is anything but a drag. An as-yet unreleased EP flies through five songs in 15 minutes flat. On the group's quickie Myspace description, the members call themselves “The Everly Brothers meets the Byrds.” Though that does get you close, those groups tended to add a melancholy tinge to their songs; with the Vinyl Strangers, there’s nothing but good vibes on the horizon. When Guerzo and Howland harmonize about a breakup in “Sweet Little Afterthought,” they still manage to be upbeat.

The pop purity that comes through could be a result of the unorthodox way the band wrote and rehearsed the songs. “We got together for Buffalo Bills games," says Howland. "We’d jam at the halves.” As the band didn’t have much time, and didn’t want to annoy people in the next room, practices were short-lived and subtle. Howland explains: “We play really quietly and the emphasis is really on the harmonizing.” Adds Guerzo, “I think that makes us listen to each other more.” This Lunch Paper show marks the band’s first time playing out, though, so the guys may have to crank things up a little.

Tom Bavis

Tom Bavis

ABC Pick

Russian Spy Camera, The Reputation, Ghost Dad the Robot

Wednesday, April 26, Caledonia Lounge

originally published April 19, 2006

“I have caught on fire!” is Ryan White’s odd and unexpected response when casually questioned how he feels about completing Russian Spy Camera’s debut album You Are A Vulture. And although this statement seems to be a non sequitur, there is a hint of frustration, confusion and urgency in its meaning. Throughout 2005, Russian Spy Camera, a band comprising White on guitar/ vocals and Andy Turner on drums, recorded an album that is as striking and out-of-the-blue as the aforementioned quote aimed to describe it.

You Are A Vulture, released on Athens label Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, is an eclectic mix of rock, pop and electronic songs. It seems to strike from nowhere and get stuck in your head. And while the album sounds like there's a full five-piece band playing, there are only ever two musicians on-stage at the group's shows, stripping everything down to guitar and drums. "I did pre-production on most of the songs in my house for about six months," says White. "Then we went into [Jason NeSmith's Bel*Air Studios] and re-recorded most of the parts: Andy playing drums, myself playing guitar and bass and stuff. The mixing was a crazy long process probably because of me [laughs]."

You Are A Vulture is an erratic, odd and unexpected ride for listeners. "I think that the highest honor you can give an artist is his ability to change and adapt," says White. "If a band plays the same stuff song after song, then it’s not as admirable as one who started to innovate their sound and write new things… I’m not saying that I’m the most creative, innovative person in town or anything, I just like for each song to have its own character."

Trey Stephens

Trey Stephens

ABC Pick

Miranda Lambert, Eric Church

Thursday, April 20, Georgia Theatre

originally published April 19, 2006

No, she wasn’t born a coal miner's daughter and no, she hasn’t lived the typical hard life of a country legend. But who said every country star has to be redeemed by pain and misery, anyway? Miranda Lambert is a budding Music City diva, writes her own songs and has, along the way, starred in a potato chip commercial and acted in 2002’s quickly forgotten teen comedy Slap Her… She’s French.

Lambert, born in 1983, grew up in Texas, oblivious to the swirling new wave and punk influencing pop culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s. In humble Lindale, about 80 miles from Dallas, there wasn’t much to do but play music with her family. So she did. As Lambert was honing her songwriting skills, she was drawn to the big city a few times, always returning to her country-pickin’ Ma and Pa (who also operated a detective agency, go figure).

She entered a few talent contests, worked on her songwriting and guitar skills and was determined to write her own songs. Soon, she landed that fateful potato chip ad, then the low-budget movie and formed her own band while still in her teens. Lambert finished in first place in the regional auditions for CMT's "Nashville Star" show, and, in a bold move, the 20-year-old from the middle of nowhere moved to Nashville. Yee-haw. She finished third in the actual competition, but still won a recording contract with Sony.

Then things really took off for her. Her first single, "Me and Charlie Talking," dropped in 2004; she sang a duet with fellow Nashville Star winner Buddy Jewell on his breakthrough album and Lambert's own impressive country-rockin’ debut album Kerosene was released almost exactly a year ago. And now after a strong December showing at the Melting Point, here she is again, headlining at the Georgia Theatre.

Lee Valentine Smith

Lee Valentine Smith