NEW YORK (www.seymourglass.tv) - If you live anywhere outside New York City, you're probably not familiar with local favorites, Seymour Glass, whose dramatic live performance and visual effects have already earned them a strong local following. But don't worry: you soon will be.
The band - Artie Kitchen (vocals), Steve Pepe (guitars), James Federico (bass, piano), and Sal Guanti (drums) - is getting ready to bring their eclectic blend of rock urgency, haunting vocals and elegance of textured piano to the masses with release of their NOTE TO SELF debut album on Carson Daly's 456 Entertainment label on August 24. With acclaimed producer Howie Beno (Ministry, Red Hot Chili Peppers) behind the boards, Seymour Glass delivers the melodies to rock the radio dial and the poetic words to stir the soul, but it's the band's innovative marriage of grit and grace that smashes open the doors of inspiration.
As a whole, NOTE TO SELF shapes an emotional arc that begins with the drum-driven aggression of "Hypervent" and closes with the lush serenity of "Everytime," while the 11 songs in-between offer their own mix of beauty and brawn. For example, "A Drive By" pushes hard on the keys and chords, yet it isn't afraid to add finer piano accents during the stop-and-start moments, while "Car Crash" focuses on vocal intensity with a solid rhythmic backing by Federico and drummer Sal Guanti.
Likewise, the buzzworthy "Chemicals" puts forth intimate piano-packed verses that play off the heavier band moments, while "CPR" employs an eerie mellowness that provides atmosphere for Kitchen's tortured tale of neighborhood politics. "Abrasion Uncommon," with its slick tempo twists, belts out unexpected changes ranging from ethereal background vocals and bitter lyrics to crashing guitars and a near piano solo. Summing up the album's duality, "Thorazine" lightens the tone with acoustic guitars and earthy vocals, yet the music is betrayed by earnest lyrics about love's endless disappointments. Such dark themes are prevalent on NOTE TO SELF as they reflect the singer's notion that expecting the worse leaves no place to go but up.
"I'm definitely not a glass half full kind of person," admits Kitchen. "I go into the studio with the worst attitude in the world and come out feeling like I was shelled into someone else's body. Writing music is like a one-sided conversation with people looking in.
For once in your life, you get to say what you want to say, and no one can tell you you're wrong."
Prior to Seymour Glass, Kitchen, Pepe and Guanti performed in a hardcore band, while Federico played drums in an emo group. Meeting through friends in the Staten Island, NY hardcore scene, the foursome came together in the late '90s with Federico switching to bass and eventually adding piano. After exploring various influences and ideas, the group set itself upon its current path around 2000. Sharing a love for author J.D. Salinger, the group took on the name Seymour Glass, an allusion to a popular Salinger character that returns from war a tragic figure. This literary influence pops up in several of the album tracks and in the artwork.
Seymour Glass actually became the first signing to 456 Entertainment. For their debut, the group spent nearly 10 months working with Howie Beno and traveled to different studios to use specific pianos for a wider range of sounds. With dedicated focus, the band diligently worked to fashion their signature style and tap into a deep emotional vibe.
The group's 13-song entry into the indie rock world demonstrates the artistic opportunities still available to those bold enough to seek them. Immediately accessible yet infinitely deep, NOTE TO SELF is a tastemaker's classic with potential as limitless as its creative vision.
