Hello my local family and friends, we meet again. Can you believe the holidays are right around the corner? I feel like it was just yesterday we were talking about the entire schedule of cool outside shows happening, going to some bonfires on the beach, enjoying a nice cold beverage at the summer stage, and so much more. I miss those days; however, time and weather will not affect our support of the scene, for there are a still a bunch of amazing things happening! Our friends in Inventure recently opened for Emmure at Starland Ballroom, Prehistoric Forest played with River City Extension at The Stone Pony, Ropetree got added to open for Buckcherry on Dec. 19 at Starland Ballroom, and so much more. It’s great to see so much local talent opening up for national acts, and I love that the venues have opened their arms to let them do so! I can’t wait to hear what 2015 has in store for all of this talent as well! Now it’s time to focus on the present and what bands we have buzzing around the market. This week, I am going to talk about an act that resides in Asbury Park that goes by the name of Ipswich Down. What does the band name mean? I don’t have the slightest idea, but I know I am digging their sound and style, and want to put them in the spotlight so you all can hop on the fan train. Let’s proceed to give you what you need!
Ipswich Down are a rock band, again residing in Asbury Park, with Timmy Douglas on bass, Damien Mendez on drums, and David Fagan on vocals and guitar. If I am not mistaken, David was also in Snowball 37, who have been featured in the Local Radar previously. They describe their sound as a “rock/pop sound with soulful rhythm, grooves that move, and infectious melodies.” Well, if you aren’t intrigued by this, I don’t know what gets your blood flowing!
I saw this group perform at The Wonder Bar a few months back, and they blew me away. I immediately wondered why I hadn’t heard of them before, for they made my mood go from bad to amazing within minutes. If you are into the whole Sublime era, you will dig their style. I did some research on them and I came to find that they had all been in different side-projects that had fallen apart, bringing them together for this group. It started out “as a demo,” they say, and now they are working on an album, playing shows, and building a fanbase all over the Jersey Shore!
The first track I can remember by them was an extremely catchy song called “The Upside,” which can be found on their Reverb page. The guitars are beautiful on this song, making you hear every note. It’s a positive message sending a beautiful light, and lightening any dark day. I also love the track “Ordinary People,” for I really appreciate the lyrics on this one. I am uncertain who writes all of their lyrics, but they really have a soft side, in the best way possible. It’s amazing how their catalogue goes from pop rock to complete groove with just the click of a mouse.
After doing some exploring on socials, it appears that the band will be hitting the studio soon for a release in 2015 that I cannot wait to indulge in. Track “Fraidy Cat” is also at the top of my rotation for this group—take a listen and you will see why. I am not sitting here saying this group is reinventing the mold or revamping the music industry here, but they are simply making some real, down-to-earth music that is soup for the soul, if you know what I mean. Musicians have the power to affect people in so many ways, emotionally and physically, and it’s always nice to see that bands like them are well aware of the situation they are in. If they can continue to make me smile with their tracks, I will forever be a fan! I hope that this project is the final piece of the puzzle for these guys, as the three of them each brings a valuable asset to the table. It’s raw, real music that will make you remember that actual talent still exists.
If you want to learn more about Ipswich Down, head on over to their Facebook page at facebook.com/ipswichdown. They are playing shows all over the area, so be sure to demand they come to your town! They also have a bunch of music on their ReverbNation page that you can check out and prepare yourself for their new EP to come out in early January. Each and every track on there is better than the next. Take a seat, grab a beer, dim the lights, and spin their tunes. There, I just set the mood for you; now it’s up to you!
I will be back next week with another act to put into the spotlight. Until then, keep on sending me those tunes to maria@theaquarian.com. Long live the local music scene!
