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Happy Accident The Solace Bros. power trio prepares to take their unorthodox, yet sublime sound on the road
We arrive a few minutes too late to catch a one-off cover of Bob Dylan's "Isis," but just in time to listen to the band meander through a new song, getting lost somewhere along the way. During the next tune, drummer Justin Donaldson is all smiles as singer/guitarist John Polle rips off a nearly prog-esque solo, while Naiman's Crumar synthesizer blasts out a sequence of boogie-ish chords. Eventually, Polle's guitar erupts in noisy squalls, and the song comes to an end, with Naiman calling out, "We forgot our choreography!"
Welcome to The Solace Bros.' world, where most everything, it seems, is the result of a happy accident.
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Stephen Seigel, Tucson Weekly May 13, 2004
Complete article: http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Music/Content?oid=oid%3A56593
Soundbites
Following two fantastic EPs, The Solace Bros. will finally release I Think of You. (Water Closet Sounds), their full-length nine-song debut this week. The somewhat unorthodox three-piece (guitar, organ and drums, plus vocals) specializes in a unique brand of feel-good quirk-pop that we can't recommend highly enough. (Look for an upcoming feature article on the band in these pages.) Performing along with the Bros. as part of their release party are blistering Seattle speed-punks the Catheters (stepping in after L.A.'s Run Run Run had to cancel), whose third album, Howling ... It Grows and Grows!!!, will be released on Sub Pop next month, and the excellent local hook-laden rock trio The DeLudes.
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Stephen Seigel, Tucson Weekly April 22, 2004
Touring with renowned Built to Spill opens new doors for fledgling band
Most local bands spend years on the Tucson circuit before they can even pull a Phoenix show off successfully. The Solace Bros. have done things a little differently. Just two years after forming the Indie-rock band, the three-man group managed to score an opening spot on Built to Spill's last tour — a huge break for the fledgling locals.
"We were setting up a tour and trying to get a San Francisco date, and John's friend said that Built to Spill was playing there around the same time, so we ended up hooking on for two-week, twelve-show tour back in May with them."
The Solace Bros. formed in 2001, recorded a couple demos that year, and scored their first gig in February of 2002. They'd played a few shows in California, but until the Built to Spill tour had mainly been haunting the local Tucson joints. As Built to Spill leader Doug Martsch explains it, The Solace Bros. was added onto the May, 2003 bill as a third band. "Even though we couldn't offer them much, they still played a few shows," he said. A similar arrangement later in the year earned the Bros. "decent pay and they decided to do it," said Martsch.
Built to Spill has carved a niche for itself atop the Indie-rock Totem pole, over a career that spans more than ten years. Martsch formed the well-renowned band in '93, spawning their first release "Ultimate Alternative Wavers" (C/V). Built to Spill moved onto bigger and better things, releasing "Perfect From Now On" (1997), "Keep It a Secret" (1999), and "Ancient Melodies of the Future" (2001). The last two releases reached the Billboard 200.
So what did Martsch think of The Solace Bros? "I've always been a fan of John's guitar playing. He's a cool singer and has interesting ideas as well," said Martsch. "We have somewhat similar aesthetics, I think. John was always more of a pop guy than I was, but after touring I came to appreciate everything about the band."
The fall tour started in Minneapolis, covered the East coast, and came back around through Texas. "New York was great, Chicago, DC — the cities where we play multiple shows were great because we get to hang out and don't have to drive," said Martsch. "But I really like everywhere almost. I love playing the little crappy clubs, and the big cities shows in bigger venues. The tour had a good variety in that way."
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-By Ryan P. Christie , AZ Nightbuzz February 2004
Complete article: http://aznightbuzz.com/tuc_solacebros.php
I had the chance to check these guys out on their recent tour with Built to Spill, where I acquired their second EP Discover!!!. They not only put on a rocking show, but were super cool when I chatted with them afterwards. The show, like the EP, was poppy and quirky and kept me bobbin' my head the whole time. The Solace Brothers emerged from the town of Tucson, and consist of three members: Ezra Daniels (Daniel Naiman) on vocals and keyboards, Ignatius St. John (John Polle) on guitar and vocals, and Walter Cummings(Justin Donaldson) on drums. The organ makes up for the lack of bassist that Ezra plays (who also switches to acoustic guitar on occasion). There is such a fullness to their sound that from listening to the CD alone you would have no idea that there were only three people in the band. One of my favorite tunes on their first EP, their catchy take on Bryan Adam's "Cuts like a knife." Who would have thought that anyone could make that song enjoyable? But this review is about their new EP, and it's right on- a blend of Big Star pop and boogie- piano music like you might hear on some records by the band, an entertaining combination. This Tucson trio are doing a fine job of getting away from the stereotype that Tucson bands are nothing but a bunch of lazy, dope-smoking, cowboy boot wearin' guys. There guys have been known to jump in last minute to play as opening bands for gigs at various cities so if you see that they are playing in a town near you, do yourself a favor and check out the Solace Brothers! Oh and check out some of their music here if you're so inclined: http://www.thesolacebros.com/
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-Brandy Faucette, Slap Magazine October 2003
The Solace Bros., a trio with guitar, drums, and keyboard, went on first. They filled the small room with their twangy, jammy guitar rock – but that was just the first song. As they continued to play, they managed to confuse everyone in the crowd who was wondering just what kind of band they were. We heard fast, punk-ish numbers, garage rock ditties, and the keyboard player even threw some electronic shit in there. The keyboardist and guitar player took turn on lead vocals. The only real constant throughout the set was the massive energy emanating from the stage and the fact that the songs they were playing were – at their roots – really pop songs. Their performance left me thirsty for more and wondering what the hell they might sound like on a recording; so I came home and immediately purchased the band's EP at their website.
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-Catherine Nicholas, Left of the Dial October 05, 2003
Complete article: http://www.leftoffthedial.com/BuiltToSpill_live.htm
Local band hits the road for exposure
The Solace Brothers’ keyboard player Dan Naiman is humble about his band. After their Aug. 20 appearance at Club Congress in Tucson, Arizona, he was happy to sit down and discuss the band’s collective vision and its evolution. Although you wouldn’t know it from watching a live performance, he insists, "All of us have different backgrounds and rip off every song we know. We’re not precious about our writing. People have put together every harmonic combination and every rhythmic combination, we’re just taking the ones that we like that are fun." What Naiman casually labels as "ripping off songs" ends up sounding more akin to finding the oddest bits and pieces of the most obscure melodies one can dream of, and then building a magnificent collage out of them.
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Mark A. Febbo, Aztec Press September 2003
complete article: http://aztecpress.pima.edu/090403/reviews.html
Seeking Solace
Gearing up for a six-week tour with national act Built to Spill and in the process of recording their first full-length CD (set to come out this fall), The Solace Bros. are all about making it happen. The catchy power pop, punk rock trio, comprised of keyboardist/vocalist Dan Naiman, baritone guitarist/vocalist John Polle and drummer Justin Donaldson, has an ultimate goal “to create a living by doing the band,” Naiman said. Donaldson interjected, “It’s not up to us if we sell records.” “No,” Naiman protested, “it is up to us!” “Well, as far as a record deal,” Donaldson explained. “But we’ve got to make that happen!” Naiman stressed. “The goal is to create a sustainable career and see what happens. A career that we love, along with our passion.”
The upcoming tour may be a determining factor to the band’s future. It will be their longest to date, and tours are notoriously hard on bands. These guys, however, should come out unscathed and better for the wear – and exposure. Taking their show on the road will most certainly garner the brothers more fans. It’s unimaginable that it wouldn’t because these lads seriously rock.
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by Jamie Manser, Downtown Tucsonan August 2003
complete article:http://www.downtowntucson.org/downtowntucsonan/aug03/dtlive.html
"From a tune that sounds like Gang Of Four playingKinks songs in an Indian ashram (the sitar/fuzz guitarthump of "Reaction") to a New Wave funk number headedup by a whoopin' soulman falsetto vocal that'd makeJon Spencer turn pale ("Set The Sun On Fire") to aCobra Verde-meets-Bowie glam-slam ("2000 Miles"), thisArizona combo is sassier than a slap on the cheek froma nymphet cheerleader. Five songs comprise thisoutrageously fine EP, and without a doubt, the Bros.crevice-niche -- between garage rock, postpunk andelectronica - is a fertile one. " [Water Closet Sounds,www.thesolacebros.com]
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-- Fred Mills, Magnet Magazine July 2003
Solace Bros. seeks comfort of the road
The model for a rock group is, you know, drums, bass, guitar, dynamic frontman. With a few unfortunate exceptions (Linkin Park), that's pretty much what popular history, on through the WB's overly self-conscious miniseries "My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star," tells us, anyway.So make no mistake, Tucson's The Solace Bros. are social deviants. No bass player, a keyboardist who sometimes abandons ship for an acoustic guitar, and two potential frontmen who are happy enough to quietly trade vocals and leave the posturing to the Mark McGraths and Diamond Daves of the world.They create eclectic songs that celebrate the freedom of breaking the rock mold without breaking the listener. Their self-titled EP reflects a band that has fun in the studio while maintaining a low-fi charm, sees all genres as available for rock, and has the ability to turn Bryan Adams' "Cuts like a Knife" into a soothing, if quirky, lullaby.
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Polly Higgins, Tucson Citizen July 2002
Complete article: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/media/local_music/rock/solace_bros/index.html
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