Sunset Alliance

Half Visconte | Last Day Parade | Necronauts | Novi Split | The Player Piano

Sunset Alliance Bands -----

The problem with Half Visconte is that each member of the band is completely irreplaceable. If the band could just try a little harder to be like everybody else, perhaps they could have just found a new bass player when Ben Taylor moved to Chicago. Perhaps they could have recruited a new drummer when Dan Sylvester left town too. Perhaps they could have gotten a
new singer/guitarist when Scott Tennent made is way to New York City. I mean, come on, the very least they (at this point "they" was just singer/guitarist Richard Minardi) could have done is conform to the indie rock norm and just broken up (allow me to cite the fifth amendment of the indie rock constitution: upon releasing a good album, bands must break up and become "ex-members" to heighten the coolness and allure of said album). But there goes Half Visconte, bucking the indie rock cliché and sticking together in spite of the distance. Spread out across the country, Half Visconte has still managed to produce their first official full-length album, Was It Fear, to be released on Sunset Alliance.

The new album is a fluid step forward from their previous releases (s/t CDEP and split 7"with Death of Marat on This Argonaut Records, as well as their appearance on Not One Light Red: A Modified Document, released jointly by Sunset Alliance and This Argonaut). It is an amalgam of studio experimentation, strong songwriting, and dynamic, explosive improvisation.
Was It Fear starts with a bang, ends with a whisper, and bristles with anxiety in between. It¹s an urgent record. A document of nervy intensity.

The sound of Half Visconte is undeniably the unique combination of its four members. It's some mysterious chemical reaction, apparently not detected in any single member, as demonstrated by the direction each takes on their own when not part of Half Visconte. Drummer, Dan Sylvester, is a trained jazz percussionist and lives in Chicago. He has also been a member of Kind of
Like Spitting (Polyvinyl) and more recently Nad Navillus (Jagjaguwar), among other projects. Singer/Guitarist Scott Tennent owned and operated Phoenix's premier all ages/DIY performance space, Modified, from 1999-2001 before getting married and moving to New York City. He continues to write as an author of music and script He is currently putting together a solo album full of downer pop songs (one song, "Follow Through No. 1" appears on Not One Light Red: A Modified Document). Singer/Guitarist Richard Minardi lives in Phoenix and is a steady presence on the music scene there, playing with numerous projects (at last count): Thee Apologies, Scramjet, Trans-go-jobot, and of course Dick Sinister & the Sinister Dicks. Rich is now fronting the creative 3 piece- The Ruby Lee and the response is overwhelmingly postive. Find out about The Ruby Lee via the web. Ben Taylor has holed himself up in a closet in Chicago in order to create new directions in electronic music.
email - halfvisconte@yahoo.com thisargonaut@yahoo.com The Ruby Lee
reveiws - NEWS TIMES
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LastDay Parade (R.I.P)
LDP always struggled through At the Drive-In comparisons. Hailing for a bordering state, within the Albuquerque city limits, there exists LDP. a band with an equally creative and inspiring sound as ATDI, with so much intensity and excitement that I feel like I'm at a family reunion gone bad. A band dependent on it's dynamics and speed changes, LDP establishes it's own identity. Last Day Parade has tripped onto something magical on it's Sunset Alliance release that explodes like a land mine. Now defunct, you can find Last Day Parade members participating in other projects, in the meantime email us to order the last few copies of this inspiring EP that still exist.

email -lastdayparade@hotmail.com

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Formed in April of 2000, billy g (vocals/guitar), Dale T. Goodman (drums), and Andrew Kirk Pangus (bass) have combined their talents to create The Necronauts, a 3 piece group of rock dynamos from the hot desert valley of Phoenix, Arizona.
They have played countless local shows around Phoenix and surrounding areas and have released two recordings on their own, both containing over ten powerful tracks of extremely dynamic sounds and have developed a deep following in the Phoenix area as well as Northern Arizona. They are planning a southwestern tour for the summer of 2002 to introduce the world to their first studio LP being released on Sunset Alliance Records. "Melodic Array of Change" is the album that will restore your faith in rock and roll. The Necronauts have a new record they released on their own called Aire Fresca and we've been told it is an improvement on the intense rocking that they are already known for.

necronauts email

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Back to top Novi Split -----
Novi Split features songs by David J of The Real Diego & Kind of Like Spitting (Barsuk). These intelligent raw-pop songs were recorded by David J on his laptop in various places around the world. David shows off his multi-instrumental capabilities and artistic leaps throughout these recordings. Often "singer-songwriters" sound a bit pretentious. If you feel the same way, you might find that David's humble stylings are as much inspiring as they are refreshing. Novi Split mixes sad songs with dance songs...almost makes you want to tap your foot at a funeral. Look for Novi Split supporting their debut release in England & w/ Kind of Like Spitting in the US this fall. artwork by Dana Bean. lyrics fantastic website: novisplit.com email: novisplit@yahoo.com

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Back to top The Player Piano -----

Provo, UT based 4-some may make the listener think of a more alert Tristeza/Pele soundscape of intuitive structures, sparse vocals, and captivating arrangements. The most reliable rock review in Arizona said this: "It's not every indie-rock band that would have the courage to challenge modern attention spans with six-minute slabs of instrumental "emo", but The Player Piano pull it off with flying colors, drawing the listener into a blizzard of chiming guitars and sizzling cymbals perfect for headphone listening or long car rides. Fans of [American Football], Christie Front Drive and Boy's Life have plenty to look forward to in The Player Piano. - Phillip Price, Red Flag Media.

reviews:
Anthem Magazine: Who would have thought that five boys from Utah could compose a record such as this. I caught this band by accident recently and was impressed not only by their affinity for melody, but by their attention to detail. The songs on this album rise and fall in such a pleasant manner that when it comes to an end, all I want is more. It has remained in my cd player since I bought it and I don't see it going anywhere soon. This may be a hard record to find, but it's worth searching out. The quality of the artwork is enough to merit buying this album.

Fake Jazz: My biggest complaint with most instrumental bands is that they lack a strong enough melody to hold my interest. Not the case with The Player Piano, the two guitars play off of each creating melody lines the weave in and out and always keep your attention. The Player Piano also has really interesting dynamic, tempo, and rhythm changes that really draw you into the song. Another interesting element on the record was the addition of Rob Bird on keys. His parts really add texture and contrast the pretty guitar melodies. I definitely recommend picking this album up. I would hurry too. The first 1000 CDs printed come with really cool dye cut cardboard inserts. -Wade Chamberlain
Email - theplayerpiano@hotmail.com
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