Take One Car

Take One Car, a progressive rock band from Millerton, New York, has provided me with my most difficult review yet. Just when I think I have the positives, negatives, and my overall opinion of the album figured out, I listen to When the Ceiling Meets the Floor again... and I question what I thought. Utilizing a mixture of progressive and ambient rock, with a few subtle touches of post hardcore and maybe even some old school screamo, Take One Car has so many different sounds, directions, and ideas on the album that it's hard to pick out what works and what doesn't. But now, I think I've finally figured out my thoughts on this album.

Take One Car tries out several approaches. Instrumental buildups, barn burners, an instrumental epic, even a ballad. There is no lack for experimentation with their sound on this album. And as is often the case when a band tries out different things, some of them succeed while others fall a little short.

They're best when they keep things fast and loud, creating some of the better songs on the album. "Ukranian Car Bomb," for example, is carried by the fast fingerwork of guitarists Tyler Irish and Pete Scholes and crashing cymbals. It's followed by "The Menagerie" which experiments with some different ideas with bass lines and alternately quirky/heavy guitar riffs. These two tracks make up the best eight minutes of the album and shows the band's experimentation at it's best.

Unfortunately, when the tracks slow down the album starts to drag. While "Hello Hollow Eyes" features some cool moments fluctuating between emotion-filled balladry and fast, earnest anthems (and benefits from being in the much better first half of the album), the 3 song stretch after "The Menagerie" kills the albums momentum. While none of the songs are particularly bad, lumping them together creates a 12-minute space that loses the listener's attention and the album's focus. "Chapter 2: The Floor" is a good, short instrumental that kicks off the second half (or chapter) of the album, but it's followed by the slow "Melk," which loses any chance of being taken seriously when the singer repeats "I'm spoiled milk/ You're super glue," and "Pg. 67," which is another good but out of place instrumental track.

Fortunately, if the listener makes it through those three, they are treated with three excellent tracks to finish the album in much the same way it began (if you ignore the pointless six minute silence and secret track at the end).

With When the Ceiling Meets the Floor, Take One Car gives us an album that, while inconsistent, shows great promise. With engaging guitar riffs, solid bass lines, loud, cymbal-driven drums, and a drive to excel and to improve their sound, Take One Car has a bright future ahead of them. - Absolute Punk

If there’s one thing I as a listener appreciate from my bands it’s humility, drive, and a sense of humor. And as desirable as these qualities are, they’ve also become a rarity (Kanye West anyone?). It wasn’t until recently that I was in touch with these BAMFs from New York (specifically their guitarist Pete) and lemme tell ya, they definitely possess all those qualities. I sat down with him and their lead singer Tyler last Thursday for an MSN-style interview to see what exactly these guys are all about. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the impossible-to-categorize, Take One Car!

Juno says:

First off, what's the story behind the name Take One Car?

Take One Car says:

The name came from a car accident. Our first bassist and drummer were involved in a car accident back in 2006. They were following one another to practice. A cat ran out in front our bassist, he stepped on the brakes and our drummer crashed into him from behind. So initially the name was kind of a joke, saying "take one car to practice instead of two." It kind of just stuck. (By the way Tyler is here too answering questions, I don’t know if I mentioned that)

Juno says:

(The more the merrier!) Speaking of the other members, how did you guys meet?

Take One Car says:

Through friends, family and the internet. Craigslist helped us out quite a bit in finding members. Tyler and Branden are cousins, I had originally met Tyler because of an ad for a guitar player he posted a few years ago and Brittany responded to an ad we had posted about looking for a drummer.

Juno says:

How long have all of you been playing your instruments?

Take One Car says:

Tyler has been singing and playing since he was a teenager, Branden started playing guitar about 3 years ago and ended up picking up bass, I started playing guitar when I was a little kid and Brittany started drums around the same time.

Juno says:

So what made you specifically decide that making music was what you wanted to do?

Take One Car says:

I think each one of us has yet to find anything else that makes us as happy, so it seemed like a pretty logical thing to do.

Juno says:

So "music or gtfo" as the internet saying goes, basically?

Take One Car says:

Exactly, we all dedicate our lives to playing our instruments, and playing in our band

Juno says:

Well your dedication is definitely paying off. I just looked at your MySpace and you're pretty booked in these next few months. What's the best part of playing live? Perhaps "most rewarding" is a better way of phrasing it.

Take One Car says:

The most rewarding thing is having the opportunity to share what we have created in a live setting. Few people ever get to see an artist create a piece of art, but it is different with live music. Yes, it has already been practiced, but there is that wild and untamed aspect to it. You never really know how it will turn out. It is that uncertainty that makes it so exciting and rewarding.

Juno says:

What's the strangest thing that's happened to you guys at a show?

Take One Car says:

I (Pete) dislocated my knee while playing at a show in Peekskill, NY. I had to be taken away by ambulance to the nearest hospital. It was awful, but we were lucky enough to have caught the whole thing on camera. I am sure you can find it on the internet somewhere haha.

Juno says:

That's a show they'll never forget! So what about before the show itself? Some performers have special "rituals" they do to ensure a great show. What about you?

Take One Car says:

We don't really have any specific rituals. We kind of collect ourselves in our own ways and focus on playing a good show.

Juno says:

Alright. Now let's talk about the music itself. What genre(s) do you consider yourselves?

Take One Car says:

I think that's the hardest question we get. We've been called everything from anger jazz to post hardcore. We like to consider ourselves an experimental band. We never really felt comfortable with any title that has come our way. It's a constraint we'd like to avoid

Juno says:

Labels are for soup cans, so I've heard. Who would you consider your biggest influences?

Take One Car says:

Well I think that has a lot to do with our indifference to being labeled. Each one of us comes from such a diverse background that it would be hard to nail down any one influence. We get compared to bands like At The Drive In, Bear Vs Shark and mewithoutYou pretty often, although none of them were a primary influence in our music...We never planned to sound like anyone. We started playing, and this sound is just what came out.

Juno says:

Is there a primary songwriter, or do you all collaborate lyrically?

Take One Car says:

We leave the lyrics to Tyler being he's the singer. As for the music, it is mostly ideas that are brought to the table at practice. One of us may write just a riff or a complete song, but it isn't until we all get together that anything really begins to take shape.

Juno says:

Well this one's for Tyler then. Where does the inspiration for the lyrics come from?

Take One Car says:

I don't think it really comes from any specific place. It could be anything. Sometimes I'll find a word I like and turn out an entire song from that. Some lyrics have come from my experiences, and others from a feeling I would like to convey. Occasionally I will be driving, something will hit me and I will write it down. My inspiration is often something I wait for rather than hunt down.

Juno says:

So music is a very personal thing for you guys. Speaking of personal, here's my favorite question to ask. If I were to steal both of your iPods/MP3 players, would I find anything embarrassing (like Hollaback Girl or Oops! I Did It Again)?

Take One Car says:

Hahaha, actually I (Pete) have 'Hollaback Girl' on mine. I'm in love with the drum beat and the hook. You could find pretty much anything you want on Brittany's and you would get a good dose of country on Tyler’s.

Juno says:

Not gonna lie, I have a fair amount of Gwen and Britney on mine as well, haha. So where do you ideally see yourselves in five years?

Take One Car says:

In 5 years I see us on our 3rd or 4th album, hopefully with some pretty awesome tours under our belt. Our goal is to keep taking our music and our band to the next level. We thrive off being busy and pushing ourselves so we will no doubt continue in that form.

Juno says:

What's the biggest obstacle you've faced as a band?

Take One Car says:

You name it, we've had it happen. Losing members, vans breaking down on tour in the middle of the night, being able to finance ourselves, injuries, bad people, etc. Pretty much all the things bands hope they never have to deal with.

Juno says:

And overcoming those challenges just makes the whole thing even more worth it, right?

Take One Car says:

Absolutely. We've been to the brink where most normal people would call it quits. But our love for writing music and playing music is what has kept this band alive and moving through all of those tough times...After all that we've been through together, there doesn't seem to be much that we couldn't survive. Each hardship has made us so much more appreciative of what we have.

Juno says:

So what do you think sets you apart from other bands on the local scene?

Take One Car says:

Dedication, and the ability to stay together. We've been witness to a lot of great bands who either fell apart or called it quits.

Juno says:

What's the best advice you can give to bands or singers who want to take on the local scene as well?

Take One Car says:

Good luck and keep at it. You always have to remember that results and accomplishments don't happen overnight. It can't just be a hobby if you're looking to take it somewhere

Juno says:

Everyone who wants to make it has at least one person who doesn't believe they'll be anything. What do you have to say to those who never believed in you?

Take One Car says:

F*** off. Honestly...we have all had that person, or those people who have put us down, told us it wasn't worth it, or tried to screw us over. We won't hear it.

Juno says:

Well put. Well before we wrap this up, one final question. Currently what are your big plans for the band? A new CD, big tour coming up, etc?

Take One Car says:

We will be going on tour for the month of July. We're still finalizing the route, but it looks like we will be hitting quite a bit of the south and mid-west before we make our way home. We plan to begin recording our next album sometime in early fall. Of course, there will be plenty of weekend shows to look forward to as well.

Juno says:

Well I wish you nothing but the best in your upcoming shows Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me today!

Take One Car says:

Thanks a lot, Juno, we really appreciate getting to talk to you!

Juno says:

I'll be sure to let you know when this gets posted. Tweet ya later! (For the record that didn't sound as lame in my head)

Take One Car says:

Awesome, we can’t wait to see it. And don't worry, it didn't sound lame at all! Stay in tweet!

See, now that was lame.

Not gonna lie, the “f*** off” did shock me at first (a lot of their prior answers had a Zen vibe to them) but I can understand where they’re coming from. They’ve got better things to do than listen to the haters. Though, with talent like theirs, I find it hard to believe that they could even have haters (lest of course they be jealous fools!). But if you don’t believe me, give their music a whirl. You just might find your face melting.

http://www.myspace.com/takeonecar

Enjoy, music lovers!

~Juno - Moxie & Mayhem

March-April Issue

TakeOneCar
Take One Car is an experimental rock band from Millerton/Dover Plains, NY. The band is composed of five members-Tyler on lead vocals and guitar, Pete and Yegor also on guitar, Enrique on bass, and Bub at the drums. The band mixes heavy riffs, fast finger work, and crashing cymbal-driven drums with haunting guitar melodies, and occassional ambient sounds. Tyler spouts cryptic lyrics in vocals ranging from shaky lament to rugged scream. Their sound is self-definably indefinable. "I never really wanted to farm our music into a genre," says Tyler, "because if you come up with a song that is great but happens not to be part of the crop it sticks out like a weed. We write good music, that is our genre."
Take One Car has been together since 2007. Though currently unsigned they've released a self-produced EP entitled Passenger. For the group, booking shows was difficult at first, and they are still learning the DIY ropes. "It is tough to plan out a show and get the right draw, and the right draw doesn't jsut mean getting many people, but people who are going to care to hear what you are playing." This is a common concern among local bands, it seems. When playing live, Take One Car values an energetic performance, the kind that will really suck an audience in. "I like to move while playing music; it's a natural response, kind of like dancing. You just succumb to it."
The band is pretty pleased with what they have accomplished thus far. In their short 7-8 month existence they've played shows non-stop. "We are a very motivated bunch of guys, so we aren't happy with being stagnant." All of the members are described as prolific writers-together they've churned out 10 full songs and have plenty of ideas queued up for new material. This summer they plan to hit the studio to record a full-length album followed up by a small east coast tour.
Disgusted with the music that makes it on to contemporary radio, the band members have set out to form their own musical niche. "We basically write songs that we like to play and would enjoy listening to" says Tyler, to sum up their sound. "There is no greater purpose or science behind it."

-Janine Stankus-
- Read.It.Now Magazine

"If you haven’t heard Take One Car you may be in for a surprise. Billing the group as experimental certainly hit the target, though there is rock flavor somewhere in the ambient sounds....“anger-jazz” might fit some of the music here." (Indieupdate.com,09.09) - Indieupdate.com