Like many bands, The Subjects met in high school. They shared dreams of loud rooms, cracked amps, and raging, sweaty crowds. Who or what was to hold them back from grasping out, from "living the dream?" Most importantly was that, unlike many bands, two of the members were students and two were teachers. And that the four hanging out in rock bars together was not exactly approved after-school development.
Their debut full-length, with the ease grace precision and cleverness of human beings exhibits just the type of mature songcraft and naïve exuberance that a student-teacher pairing would suggest. "Hounds of War" showcases the band's ability to combine strong melodies with shifting dynamics and undertones of longing and emotional depth. "Best of Us" shows the band going beyond guitar-bass-drum arrangements, with its dense combination of horns, organs and layered percussion. "Icicles" is built off of a powerful riff and finds the band in a more spontaneous mode, with call-and-response interplay between the instruments. What emerges is a record that moves from well-crafted, high-energy moments to quiet expressions of subtle eloquence. Reckless and insightful, with the ease grace precision and cleverness of human beings is a delicate combination of youth's wide-eyed optimism and the experience of age.
Their debut full-length, with the ease grace precision and cleverness of human beings exhibits just the type of mature songcraft and naïve exuberance that a student-teacher pairing would suggest. "Hounds of War" showcases the band's ability to combine strong melodies with shifting dynamics and undertones of longing and emotional depth. "Best of Us" shows the band going beyond guitar-bass-drum arrangements, with its dense combination of horns, organs and layered percussion. "Icicles" is built off of a powerful riff and finds the band in a more spontaneous mode, with call-and-response interplay between the instruments. What emerges is a record that moves from well-crafted, high-energy moments to quiet expressions of subtle eloquence. Reckless and insightful, with the ease grace precision and cleverness of human beings is a delicate combination of youth's wide-eyed optimism and the experience of age.
US Tour Dates
6.18.09 - Troubadour w/White Rabbits - West Hollywood, CA
6.19.09 - Cellar Door w/ White Rabbits - Visalia, CA
6.20.09 - The Independent w/ White Rabbits - San Francisco, CA
6.22.09 - Crocodile Cafe w/White Rabbits - Seattle, WA
6.23.09 - Doug Fir Lounge w/ White Rabbits - Portland, OR
6.24.09 - Doug Fir Lounge w/ White Rabbits - Boise, ID
6.25.09 - Urban Lounge w/ White Rabbits - Salt Lake City, UT
6.26.09 - Bluebird Theater w/ White Rabbits - Denver, CO
6.27.09 - Slowdown JR w/ White Rabbits - Omaha, NE
6.29.09 - 400 Bar w/ White Rabbits - Minneapolis, MN
6.30.09 - High Noon Saloon w/ White Rabbits - Madison, WI
7.1.09 - Empty Bottle w/ White Rabbits - Chicago, IL
7.2 - Pike Room w/ White Rabbits - Pontiac, MI
6.10.09 - The Studio at Webster Hall w/ J Wise & La Strada - New York, NY
The Subjects Headline The Studio At Webster Hall July 10th
W/ La Strada and J Wise
6.18.09 - Troubadour w/White Rabbits - West Hollywood, CA
6.19.09 - Cellar Door w/ White Rabbits - Visalia, CA
6.20.09 - The Independent w/ White Rabbits - San Francisco, CA
6.22.09 - Crocodile Cafe w/White Rabbits - Seattle, WA
6.23.09 - Doug Fir Lounge w/ White Rabbits - Portland, OR
6.24.09 - Doug Fir Lounge w/ White Rabbits - Boise, ID
6.25.09 - Urban Lounge w/ White Rabbits - Salt Lake City, UT
6.26.09 - Bluebird Theater w/ White Rabbits - Denver, CO
6.27.09 - Slowdown JR w/ White Rabbits - Omaha, NE
6.29.09 - 400 Bar w/ White Rabbits - Minneapolis, MN
6.30.09 - High Noon Saloon w/ White Rabbits - Madison, WI
7.1.09 - Empty Bottle w/ White Rabbits - Chicago, IL
7.2 - Pike Room w/ White Rabbits - Pontiac, MI
6.10.09 - The Studio at Webster Hall w/ J Wise & La Strada - New York, NY
The Subjects Headline The Studio At Webster Hall July 10th
W/ La Strada and J Wise
On Tour NOW with White Rabbits
Press
Magnet Magazine: "...remarkably solid..."
Daytrotter: "The line I want to use to describe The Subjects is from the exasperated phone call scene in 'Back to the Future,'where Marvin Berry – with his bloody, bandaged playing hand – punches in his cousin Chuck’s phone number and says, “You know that new sound you’ve been looking for? Well, listen to this…"
New York Press: “Now it’s just a matter of time before The Subjects, if they play by their own rules, can have all that the Rock Gods promise.”
Gothamist : "They play a unique brand of psych pop-rock, the perfect sonic outcome of a student-teacher collaboration. Thought-rock that you can dance to."
XLR8R.com : Top 10 Album Picks of the Week - "these young bucks have combined the driving guitars of power pop and the mystique of ‘70s rock for one hell of a unique experience."
The Onion : "The Subjects' sound reflects its make-up, with exuberant power-pop full of shambling guitars balanced by slower thoughtfulness."
Spin : “teenage kicks delivered by actual teenagers: Two recent high school grads bash out joyously hormonal power pop behind a frontman who was recently their teacher. Like School of Rock with more Kinks albums on the syllabus.”
Daytrotter: "The line I want to use to describe The Subjects is from the exasperated phone call scene in 'Back to the Future,'where Marvin Berry – with his bloody, bandaged playing hand – punches in his cousin Chuck’s phone number and says, “You know that new sound you’ve been looking for? Well, listen to this…"
New York Press: “Now it’s just a matter of time before The Subjects, if they play by their own rules, can have all that the Rock Gods promise.”
Gothamist : "They play a unique brand of psych pop-rock, the perfect sonic outcome of a student-teacher collaboration. Thought-rock that you can dance to."
XLR8R.com : Top 10 Album Picks of the Week - "these young bucks have combined the driving guitars of power pop and the mystique of ‘70s rock for one hell of a unique experience."
The Onion : "The Subjects' sound reflects its make-up, with exuberant power-pop full of shambling guitars balanced by slower thoughtfulness."
Spin : “teenage kicks delivered by actual teenagers: Two recent high school grads bash out joyously hormonal power pop behind a frontman who was recently their teacher. Like School of Rock with more Kinks albums on the syllabus.”
