Alex Vans & the Hide Away
Washington, Iowa, United States
Music
Press
"All that experience and his touring has likely helped shape his songwriting and performance into the heights shown tonight." - DC Rock Live
"Armed with a full backing band, the tunes gracing this full-length record resonate with energy." - Now This Rocks!
"Unlike a lot of rockers these days, Vans seems less interested in pursing a single sound and more into writing a variety of songs, from country blues stompers (“Financial Crisis Blues) to indie-pop ballads (the stellar “Saints”) to bluegrass-meets-Nirvana-by-way-of-Coltrane dirges (“Hide Away,” one of DJ Booth’s standout tracks.)" - Charleston City Paper
Parts reminded me of The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s early stuff, with a better, slicker pop surface. Highly recommended and a great new LP for 2013. - Powerpopaholic
"The thing that will surprise you about these EP's is not Alex's emotional voice or his masterful guitar playing, it's just how versatile his songwriting is." - The Deli Magazine
"Vans is more than capable of varying the template, even as his voice maintains its generally harmonious tones." - No Depression
Alex Vans’ accomplishments on DJ Booth are very real: combining innovative arrangements with penetrating lyrics to create a collection of songs that transcends any one musical style or time period. - Glide Magazine
"Anyone who can segue from a 70s-style rocker into an ABBA-esque disco-y piece (and make sense doing it) is someone worth paying attention to." - Aiding and Abetting
"going from the danceable shuffle-beat of “Chase the Night” to the gentler “Wait” (with its background twinkle bells), to the heavier, Cream-meets-Lenny Kravitz “Rockstar Treatment” and Tom Petty-ish “Someone,” to the country pop of “Saints,” and the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” Bob Dylan-alluding honey-tonk jig “Financial Crisis Blues.” (Yea, topical!) He’s good at it all." - Big Takeover
"Alex Vans, a D.C. troubadour, has released a truly great album. DJ Booth is full of likeable songs. Whether it’s the rock ‘n’ roll guitar or the fluttering synthesizer, his music catches your attention." - The Aquarian
"This is a promising singer-songwriter who easily evades the staid and predictable sounds that so many bring to the genre." - On Tap
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
A keen observer of pop culture, Alex Vans turns his observations into guitar laden indie rock with tight melodic hooks and sincere lyrical sensibility. With his new album, DJ Booth, due out January 8th, Vans jabs at the declining value of live music and the capricious heart of popular culture. A lot of the content reflects my struggle to understand the irrational and fickle nature of pop-culture, says Vans. Its all about psychology and what triggers an individual or a large group of people into caring about a particular aspect of our culture. If I ever figure that out, Id have a big audience, but then Ill have to find a new source of inspiration.
Although written, arranged and produced by Vans himself, DJ Booth showcases his honest, catchy songwriting alongside a full band. The album features co-producers Chris Piola (The Makes), Abe Seiferth (DFA), Grammy Award-winning mixing engineer Mike Tarsia (David Bowie, Leon Redbone), and ESL Recording Artist, Will Rast (Thievery Corporation, The Funk Ark).
Written mostly while he was on the road touring as a backup guitarist for Justin Jones & The Driving Rain, DJ Booth is a genre-bending album that celebrates the musical diversity of artists like Bob Mould and Buffalo Tom, all tied together by Vans lyrical wit and cynicism and indie rock arrangements ranging from organic roots rockers to dance-hall ready anthems.
The albums first single, Chase the Night, sounds as big as your Friday night plans. Vans achieved a huge, ambient sound by recording drums, piano, guitar and horns in an old mill, and then worked with Abe Seiferth to record synth, electric guitar, electric bass and vocals. The resulting song showcases a duality between dancehall bombast, and melancholy lyrics; a multi-layered tune about chasing after love, fun, alcohol, and the disappointing morning after.
Another standout on DJ Booth is Wait, a poppy, chiming song that captures that unfortunate ritual of talking yourself out of approaching someone youre attracted to. With charming harmonies, Vans disarming lyrics and an irrepressible melody, the tune makes art out of inner monologue.
Beginning as a solo acoustic act in the DC area, Alex Vans has two previous releases; a self-titled debut and the 2010 EP Old Souls & Other Cellar Songs both critically well-received. A Deli Magazine Artist of the Month, Vans toured extensively following the success of his first two releases, playing over 100 shows since the beginning of 2011. Alex Vans brings the energy of his live show and the chops from all that touring to DJ Booth an album that clearly shows the enduring value of live music.
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