I recently received an email from a band called The Vaughns asking me to check them out. Yes, I do get your emails. I may not answer all of them, but I do get them. Anyway, I logged onto Spotify and listened to the band’s new EP, Tomfoolery, and I liked what they had going on in there. Songs like “Roses,” “What’s Cooking,” and “Phase Me” are as alt-rock as you can get. Singer Anna Lies’ vocals really colored in the alternative style of the music nicely. I couldn’t help feeling like I was in an Old Navy or H and M store while I was listening to their music, which was a good thing. It was something familiar and easy to listen to. I really dug it.
According to their bio, The Vaughns formed in early 2014, and by August, the band released their self-titled debut. The quartet grew up in Springfield and even went to high school together. Even though they all had different musical interests, and even explored different music outlets, they all decided to give jamming together a shot, and the chemistry was so undeniable that The Vaughns were born in drummer Ryan Kenter’s house. After reading some of their influences, their backgrounds are certainly diverse, but the more diverse a band is, the stronger a band they actually become. The Vaughns have been heavily compared to bands like Arctic Monkeys, The Pixies and Norah Jones. I’m not sure I really hear that, but those are some pretty good alt-rock bands to be compared to. Joining Ryan and Anna in The Vaughns is guitarist David Cacciatore and bassist Tom Losito.
It’s not like these kids are seasoned vets on the music scene or anything. They’re all in their early 20s and still finishing up college while they perform all over Jersey. After listening to Tomfoolery, there is definitely room on this Jersey music scene for these kids. The EP has some great songs and Anna’s voice is quite distinctive. You’ll definitely want to give these kids a listen. Check them out at Facebook.com/TheVaughnsNJ, where you can also find out where they are playing next. By the way, no one in the band is named Vaughn, which was kind of a letdown.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bros from Voodoo Terror Tribe have a lot going on these days. They’ve been invited to join the Ill Nino’s 15 Years Of Revolution Tour also featuring Bobaflex, Terror Universal, Shattered Sun, and Saint Diablo. This is an over 20-city tour, so pretty awesome news for the VTT crew! If you remember Ill Nino singer Christian Machado produced the upcoming Voodoo Terror Tribe CD, The Sun Shining Cold, which the band will be releasing before they hit the road with Ill Nino. They also plan to release a video for their leadoff single “City Of Sixes” in the coming weeks as well. For more on Voodoo Terror Tribe, visit VTTrocks.com.
The guys from Psychoprism will be releasing their debut full-length CD through Pure Steel Records called Creation, which they will be releasing sometime this spring. For now, you can catch them live at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn this Friday night (3/18) with Grim Reaper or at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ next Friday night (3/25) with Whiplash. For more info on Psychoprism, visit psychoprism.com.
And finally, my homegirl Queen V has released her long-awaited latest EP, Bridges. She celebrated the EP’s release with a party at the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC last month. After listening to the EP a few times, I can honestly say I love it! No, it’s not a hard rock record, but it’s a well-written songwriting masterpiece from the intro of the song “Better” right into the final notes of the song “Slip Away.” I tip my cap and bow to you, Queen V! Bravo! For more on Queen V and to find out where she’s performing next, visit QueenV.com.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
3/18—Christine Martucci Band—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
3/18—Psychoprism/Grim Reaper—Saint Vitus Bar, Brooklyn, NY
3/18—The Grand Omega—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/19—Anaka/SOS NYC/Proxima Control/Kore Rozzik—Black Bear Bar, Brooklyn, NY
3/19—Four Year Strong/Light Years/Can’t Swim—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/19—Me With Creeps—QXT’s Night Club, Newark, NJ
3/20—Born A New/Premonitions/Sentinels/Kaonashi/Borderlines/Hot Gospel/Abhorrence/Refinement—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/20—Rivers and Rust—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
3/24—Answer Infinity/Triple Scoop/Sinertia/Minor King/Asphalt Grey—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
3/25—Deaf Rhino—Bull Shooter’s Saloon, Philadelphia, PA
3/25—Danger Danger—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
3/25—Whiplash/Psychoprism/Half-Witted Dogs/Deathrash/Voidless—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/26—Binary Code/EchoLab/Pralaya/Decades/In The Presence Of Wolves—Backroom Studios, Rockaway, NJ
3/26—Restorations—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
3/26—ORBYNOT/Judas Priestess—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
3/26—Cranely Gardens/Another Vendetta/Emerge A Tyrant—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/2—Jersey Campfire Productions Presents: Rahway/Sekond Skyn/One Hundred Thousand/Meatplow—Boneyard Bar and Grill, Atlantic City, NJ
4/2—Crash NYC/Trapped In The Shadows/Saturn’s Return/Lorie De Winter—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/2—Major Crush—The Shop, Brooklyn, NY
4/2—The Falcon—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
4/3—Gothic Knights—Stage 48, NYC
4/4—Crowbar—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/10—Goolsby/Crypt Keeper 5—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/16—The Vaughns—Drew University, Madison, NJ
4/16—Me With Creeps—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
4/16—Voodoo Terror Tribe/Midnite Hellion/ORBYNOT—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/16—MDC—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
4/16—The Vaughns—The Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ
