04.07 Up and Comers

Bands, clubs, artists, and businesses that you may not have heard of yet…but that we think are going to make a name for themselves really soon ~ and you get to hear about them here, right before they make it big!

BAND
Carry the Zero
By Michael Shivick

In a deep, dark basement somewhere on a cracked back road in Shrewsbury, a group of gentlemen known as Carry the Zero are concocting plans for world-music domination. How are they going to achieve it? Through talent, plain and simple…talent that’s obvious in each notated expression that crosses your brainwaves, talent that I recently got a chance to sit back and savor at a CTZ rehearsal session. Bottles of fine Bordeaux for some. Cases of Bud diesel for others. Carry the Zero for you and me.

The trio’s energetic, crowd-pleasing stage show is of a caliber one would expect to see from established performances in any international city. In other words: CTZ is tight as tight can be, as is evident on “Hey, Hey,” the first track off the freshly-minted Pulse-exclusive demo (one of the perks) that CTZ forked over. The song launches with a build-up that would rival the looming, overcast skies of any classic Nor’easter. Then, as if finely sharpened with a Bowie knife, wrenching guitar and keys tear through thundering floor toms, brandishing a sharp sword of savage “danceability.” The infectious verse gives way to clear pre-chorus skies and the inevitable killer chorus. Screeching blues chords, catchy hooks, pinpoint accuracy and excellent song-writing define this artistic presentation, which leaves even the most critical ear saying, “Damn, that was freakin’ sweet!”

Another nugget of CTZ sound is the wonderful collaboration dubbed “Start A Fire”, which blends the melody and rhythm of Edmund Paquette’s keys/bass, Bill Gaudette’s floorboard- loosening percussion, and the rock-star vocals and stringed thrashings of lead man Matt Erhatic. Few area bands can match the intensity and accuracy that CTZ achieves in every note, none of which are ever wasted. The band seems to take into consideration that today’s human has a much shorter attention span that did past generations, and they accommodate with not-too-lengthy but always-distinctly-different-than-the last songs.

Carry The Zero’s campaign to keep rock and roll alive in Worcester will be continued on June 23rd, when they will host a slammin’ record-release party at the Lucky Dog Music Hall. Says lead man Matt Erhatic, “There really isn’t any pretentious bulls*t, [just] three friends on stage giving it their all, knockin’ back a brew or two. No costumes, no theatrics… just pure, sweaty, honest rock n’ roll…and Tianna Ta [Spike TV, Pulse’s 27 to Watch in 2007] graces the [upcoming] album cover.”

For more on upcoming Carry the Zero shows and to enjoy some live tracks, please visit www.myspace.com/ctzrock.

BAND
The Low Anthem
By Alex Kantarelis

With a growing fan base and an unbelievable work ethic, The Low Anthem are setting the bar high, and looking forward to a bright future. The trio has dedicated themselves full time to their music, putting in countless hours of song writing and touring relentlessly. They are 100% all about the band.

The guys, who all live together, took me on a tour of their apartment, which doubles as their home studio. Separate bedrooms are used for separate instruments, with wires and microphones scattered everywhere in sight. It’s quite the place.

While the members of the band ~ Ben Knox Miller, Jeffrey Prystowsky, and Daniel Lefkowitz ~ have been playing music for years, The Low Anthem got their start in the fall of 2006. They immediately started playing out live 5 nights week, to an excellent response. Ben Knox Miller says, “The last 6 months have been completely devoted to music full time, aside from some small moonlighting jobs in between.”

The band defines independent music. But their musical style aside, they also manage every aspect of the band themselves. Jeffrey Prystowsky controls all their business and booking. As if that’s not enough, their new CD, which should be out in the early summer, will be entirely produced by the band ~ Not just musically, but in terms of artwork and packaging, too. “We’re really trying to do everything independently. We’re recording it on our own, we’re going to package it ourselves, and we’re binding it to a book,” Miller explains. The band’s plan is to cut the covers off old books to create the case for each CD. “Each disc that you buy is going to be hand made by us,” Prystowsky added. This design approach adds a completely new element that most bands don’t offer. “It’s nice to have something that’s real in your hands, instead of a mouse and iTunes,” said vocalist Dan Lefkowitz.

The Low Anthem’s sound is completely unique as well. They bring elements of blues, folk, and rock into their atmospheric and textured songs, straying away from conventional guitar/bass/ drum songwriting structures. “We try to play as little guitar as possible, because everyone plays guitars,” Lefcowitz says. But avoiding these instruments is by no means diminishing their sound. They fill in the gaps with everything from an upright bass to measuring cups used as percussion. They have even used a Casio toy piano to mix things up. “Our most recent purchase was a 70 year old pump organ, which is a portable organ that was used by military priests who would travel to do their sermons,” Miller said.

With all these instruments, one can only imagine the potential The Low Anthem has. If you’re a fan of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Dispatch, give them a listen. You’ll be surprised to hear a completely distinctive approach to your favorite style of music.

TLA rocks the Lucky Dog on May 10th at 9:30pm – be there!