Issue
102
Feb. '07
I’ve been listening
to music a long time, but in ’76
–’77 my senses were awakened to the artistry behind
the artistry of creating a
song through the mastery of instruments and the studio. Rock-n-Roll was
born of
rebellion in the 50’s; it had an attitude and aura, two
attributes which would
eventually fade into the background and allow the talented to create
even more
– Bigger, better. As Rock-n-Roll grew, so did its primary
audience. As
Rock-n-Roll refined, aged, and became more professional, so did its
audience.
What was once rebellion and proletarian art became a culture statement
and so
did its audience. Eventually the commercialization of that culture
statement, of
Rock-n-Roll and its audience, simultaneously signaled the death of the
rebellion of the youth. But it was that youth that suffered the death,
so it
was time for Rock-n-Roll to be reborn among the young again.
Although the cycle can be
adjusted to individual
perspective, I discount the British Invasion & Garage Rock of
the 60’s as a
direct result/off-shoot of the 50’s. To me the Punk/New Wave
movement of ’76 –
’80 was the first major upheaval. That’s when I
discovered that the rebellion of
youth expressed through Rock-n-Roll in all its ragged glory is an
artistry to
be savored. I began to search out not those who major record labels
were
bringing into studios and spending big dollars on to produce some of
the slickest
Rock-n-Roll to date; instead, I searched out the D.I.Y (Do It Yourself)
bands.
Granted, in a time without the internet it was a hard process, but
having a
local record store that would import singles from England that the band (or some indie
label) had recorded,
produced, and actually made and distributed themselves –
along with local and
regional acts as well – well, that was where the bliss was.
It’s
been many years
since I was able to crawl into
the attitude and rebellion of Rock-n-Roll as a youth. But I still
recognize,
appreciate, and totally get into it when a band comes along and allows
me to
find my fountain of youth through their complete artistry of the genre.
Rock-n-Roll belongs to youth, Rock-n-Roll is defined in its art by
youth, and
as long as there is youth who want to express themselves through
Rock-n-Roll as
an art form, the world will be better for it.
Eula is youth, Eula is attitude, Eula is art, Eula is D.I.Y., Eula is Rock-n-Roll, Eula is rebellion.
Fill
Your Heart
is a 5 song EP that has completely captured youth and Rock-n-Roll.
Owing a ton
to the Punk/New Wave movement of the late 70’s (as opposed to
the grunge
movement of the early 90’s – though grunge is
certainly represented throughout
– just more in a backseat roll to Punk/New Wave), Fight Riff
and Rosie
are the show-stopping manic dance floor/mosh pit, backbeat-heavy,
distortion-pounders (think Sex Pistols, Sonic Youth and The Breeders)
that make
you want to tear down everything – and isn’t that
what youthful rebellion
embraces? A Hold
and I Could Cry
mix a bit of maturity
and refinement a la` Romeo Void’s sound and Bettie
Serveert’s Carol van Dijk’s
vocals (not to mention Patti Smith as well). Who says you
can’t be talented and
historically well-versed in the artistry of all of
Rock-n-Roll’s youth’s past?
Eula
one-ups its
own youth with Bee
Song. An acoustic romp that you can whistle along
to, it
smacks us upside the head more so than the hook-filled, fuzz-toned,
distortion
drenched, death-emo opener, Fight Riff. Totally out of context, Bee
Song blends perfectly with the other 4 songs to
show it belongs. While
the musical departure is so evident, Eula
pulls if off with a natural talent that fits right across the board.
And that
is the X-Factor here: Alyse Lamb (guitar, vocals), Nate Rose
(drums), and Jeff Maleri (bass) ace
all the chops that should have them content to head into the studio and
create
the slick Rock-n-Roll that the majors love to spend money on (hoping to
get the
audience to spend their money on). Instead, as Eula,
they are focused on an attitude, a rebellion; they are D.I.Y.
and they are locked into the youthful artistry of Rock-n-Roll. Crawl
in, let
your senses awaken, and listen to what it’s all about.
Youth? Check.
Attitude? Check.
Rebellion? Check.
Rock-n-Roll? Check.
D.I.Y.? Check.
Art? Check.
Eula.
Check.
Fill
Your Heart –
Fill Your Heart by
Eula
is available now for: $3.98 + s/h*
Click HERE
if you would like to be notified when more are available.
*Shipping
&
Handling charges:
USA - $3.00
for the first 2 CDs
ordered,
Add $1.50 per each CD after.
Canada - $5.00 for the
first
CD ordered,
Add $2.00 per each CD after.
Everywhere else -$7.00
for the
first CD ordered,
Add $3.00 per each CD after.
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