TRÈS BIEN

Their newest release, Meet Your Maker, belongs in any collection that contains the Kinks, Animals, or even Three Dog Night.
Très Bien has managed to create a sound that is both familiar yet fresh. From the first opening guitar blast of "Seeing Me, Seeing You," the sound is in your face and features an infectious chorus. Songs like "Right and Wrong" and "Imma Man" would have been huge on the AM radio in the late 60's. This is not to say that Très Bien is a nostaliga band, because this young group understands what happens when a clever vocal hook is joined by hyper-kenetic percussion and surf-rock inspired guitar riffs. The album's set piece is the 1-2 punch of the instrjmental track "If You Want Me to Stay" and the title track. An insanely melodic guitar riff is joined by a wall of brass horn that vaporizes into a bit of subtelty, An organ riff provides the first layer for the vocals and guitars in the stunning title track.
Très Bien is a band that deserves a large audience. Some may be tempted to dismiss this band because they were part of the American Idol promotion machine, but please take some time to sample their music. You will not be disappointed."

-Doug Cornell, Hitsession.com - Doug Cornell, Hitsessions.com

"Meet Your Maker, recorded this past summer in Bostinto's uncle's hunting cabin, shows considerable growth for the band. It's got the trademark hooks and beats but fuller arrangements and more experimentation — the type of album you'd expect to hear from a band that's too poppy to be indie and too indie to be mainstream."

-Julie Garisto, St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg Times

Très Bien ! C'est le nom choisi par un groupe de gamins (19/20 ans) de Floride. Du coup, les fans en délire hurlent des "tress bienne" reconnaissants en fins de concerts. Très Bien ! tire dans la catégorie "new rock énervé" (quoique ça puisse vouloir dire), à deux pas des Hives et R'n'R Soldiers, voire "new groove" (pareil...) tels Tokyo Sex Destruction ou International Noise Conspiracy. Le chanteur fait penser à un excitant croisement Jello B./Feargal Sharkey, et si le groupe ne tombait pas parfois dans des travers très "college radio US" (quelques longueurs et procédés), il mériterait amplement son nom. Mais ils ont le temps d'équarrir... D'ici-là, on se contentera de les renommer "Pas Mal !" et de les surveiller du coin de l'oreille.

-http://www.chez.com/digitfanzine/digit.html - franzine/digit

After four-plus years of big Bay area shows, and one stint on the Fox TV musical reality competition The Next Great American Band, Mike Bostinto, Cody Michael Wilson, Michael James Crowe and Ryan Parker Metcalf - collectively known as Clearwater's Tres Bien - are saying hello to a new album called Meet Your Maker, and goodbye to the Tampa Bay local-music scene. REAX asked 'em some questions about it all.

REAX: Where did you white kids get your soul?
Ryan: It came free with the funk.
Mikey: White guys can't have soul?
Crowe: No, everyone knows that.
Mikey: Yeah, maybe. I mean, I'm just trying to impress Erykah Badu anyways.
Cody: I believe you can credit our soul to a combination of nature and nuture. We grew up listening to '60s rock 'n' roll and soul records. The constant traveling definitely contributed though

REAX: What were the best and worst things about participating in The Next Great American Band?
Mikey: Living in Los Gangelas for free was the best. The worst was the TV show, ha ha. I kid, but being forced to play covers is never fun.
Crowe: Sheila E's rack was pretty great. LC from The Hills kept blowin' up my phone though. That was probably the worst.
Ryan: Seeing how it all works was fun. It's very interesting being part of the "machine."
Cody: We got to meet a lot of really cool famous people. The worst part was the whole having to wear makeup thing, but they couldn't hide these jelly rolls.

REAX: So is there anything to do north of State Road 60 in Clearwater?
Crowe: It's debatable. Half of our band is from the south side of Gulf to Bay and the other is from the north.
Ryan: I think I've seen a bowling alley up that way.

REAX: Where the hell are you guys going again?
Mikey: To the top! Of Pennsylvania.
Cody: Williamsport, Pa.
Crowe: Three and a half hours outside of NYC.

REAX: Why are you bailing on Florida?
Ryan: Don't say bailing. There's no animosity goin' on. We just need a change of pace.
Crowe: Bottom line, we can't wait around here anymore for something to come to us. The world only meets you halfway and we've got to get out there and chase it if we really want it.
Cody: We can experience the peace and tranquility of the woods while still focusing on our career by centralizing closer to music's main marketplace.
Mikey: Hurricanes.

REAX: What are you gonna miss most about the Bay area?
Cody: All the people who have helped keep our band alive.
Crowe: Family and friends.
Ryan: Pickles Plus.
Mikey: Everything.
Cody: The beer at New World Brewery, the crowd at Neptunes Lounge, and the bartender at State Theatre.
Ryan: Holy crap, yeah!
Crowe: Was that a "yeah!" to the beer or the girl?
Mikey: All the "nice young ladies" at Czar.

REAX: What are you gonna miss least?
Ryan: Humidity. All the fans who chase me down to get and autograph and a lock of my hair. I'm goin' bald here.

REAX: If there was one club you could pack up and take with you, which one would it be and why?
Crowe: There are certain things we wish we could take from each place. We got our start at Neptunes, had our first huge CD release show at State Theatre, and drank some our our first legal drinks at New World. There's mermories everywhere around here.

REAX: You totally know it's gonna get cold up there and shit, right?
Crowe: Yeah, but the block is hot. - REAX Magazine

Tres Bien is a Garage/Pop/Soul group from Clearwater Florida. Mikey Bostino (Vocals,guitars, keys) Cody Wilson (Bass, guitar) Michael Crowe (Guitar) & Ryan Metcalf (Drums) all come together to form one of the most unique groups and sounds not heard of since the early 60’s.
You may also remember these faces from a reality show called The Next Great American Band where they placed sixth in the competition. After a recent stint in New York City playing at the legendary Mercury Lounge, the young lads with the Beatle-esque style who are also currently on tour, stopped by for one of the most interesting interviews here at the cafe.



H.Q. What’s the music scene like in Clearwater Florida?


Crowe - “Florida Blows, and not just from Hurricanes”
Cody - “Clearwater is like a leaking fosset, a leaking farrah fawcett”
Ryan - “There isn’t really that much of a Clearwater scene unless you count all the high school bands. Us and all of our friends bands are considered part of the Tampa scene really.”
Mikey- ” Clearwater is cool, if you’re umm wait, shit. Wait, don’t write this…fuck. It’s a great place to live, hard place to work for a band.


H.Q. When I think of Tres Bien I hear a modern day Kinks, where there any other influences?


Crowe - “We grew up on a lot of Pantera and Iron Maiden, we just aren’t good enough musicians to play it. This is a cop out.”
Cody - “The Sonics, The Yardbirds, The Zombies there’s so much shit it’s unfathomable.”
Ryan - ” What the other guys are telling you is just PR fluff. I can’t tell you what our true influences are. It’s a secret larger then the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or the true identity of the Joker.
Crowe - “Ya know , Heath Ledger was great in The Dark Knight, Fo Realz.”
Cody - ” I couldn’t even tell it was him.”


H.Q. It seems like all the greats play at Mercury Lounge and that place is a pretty big deal, how did that gig come about? was there any nervousness before gracing the stage?


Cody - “We weren’t nervous at all, the night before we played to 400 people on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Mercury Lounge had great sound and a positive vibe though, so it felt really good playing there.”
Ryan - ” Business as usual, Man. No cocky-ness”
Crowe - ” When we told people we were going to be playing at the Mercury Lounge they would usually respond with somthing like, ‘Holy &*()^*(^% how the *^*)(^ did you get in there?!?!’ A lot of our favorite bands have played that stage so it was a real honor.”
Mikey - “It was about damn time” (No cocky-ness).


H.Q. Tres Bien? explain the thought of such a catchy name?


Ryan - “Thanks for calling it catchy! Mikey hates it.”
Crowe - ” Mikey ACTUALLY thinks Tea Peas is a good band name.He even made a myspace and tried to convince us to change our name for over a month.”
Mikey - “Dude, Tea Peas think about it. Just as catchy and less confusing. Plus, I totally made a super sweet logo.”
Cody - ” We took French class in High school together. Our friend thought Très Bien was catchy.”


H.Q. Did you guys take the experience of not advancing on the reality show America’s next great band as motivation


Crowe - “No”
Ryan - “I’m still coping with suicidal thoughts.”
Cody - “Everything is gonna be alright. Peace be da journey.”
Mikey - “That wasn’t me , That was Mikey B.”


H.Q. When can we look forward to the new album?


Ryan - “We’re shooting for mid to late October, but you can look forward to it constantly.”
Cody - “Farah Fawcett.”
Ryan - “What? That doesn’t make any sense”
Crowe- “Yea, seriously, What the fuck?”
Cody - “I’m just trying to tie this interview together and wrap it up.”
Ryan - “What? How can you wrap up an interview that just started?”
Crowe- ” Where’s Mikey?”


H.Q. If you could give us one word that separates Tres Bien from all the other bands out there what would it be?


Crowe - “Mountain-Pies”
Cody - “Supercalifragalistic”
Ryan - “Not expealadocious?”
Cody - “No, That’s two words.”
Ryan - ” But… a hyphanated word counts as one…?”
Cody - Where’s Mikey?”


H.Q. I honestly think the world needs another 60’s style band in likes of some of the past greats, are you worried that alot of people will not be as welcomed to your sound?


Cody - “First off, thank you so much man and I hope more people dig the revival like you. Also, I believe there are enough sixties ties to modern music to give us a shot”
Ryan - “Nice.”
Crowe - “That sounded smart, Right?”
Mikey - “Well said.”


H.Q. Your currently on tour, have there been any highlights of tour life yet?


Crowe - “Actually, we just got done playing to 15,000 people at the Molson Canal Fest in New York. We’re ready to quit now.”
Cody - ” We’re right outside Buffalo and we’re visiting Niagra Falls tomorrow. I’m really excited about that.”
Ryan - “Getting drunk in Man-asses, Virginia that is.Almost witnessing a brawl in the cornfields of Tipp City, Ohio and seeing Mikey get his ass beat by a Dominatrix in Philly”
Crowe - “Nice hyphan Ryan”
Cody - “This was the best tour we’ve ever been on.”
Mikey - “That dominatrix chick was hot, I hope she reads this.”


H.Q.What message does Tres Bien want to give all the up and coming bands trying to follow in the footsteps of getting there music out?


Crowe - “Start a band, get a following, go on tour, experiment, go through hard times. work your ass off. It might help to rob a bank too”
Cody - “No further comment”
Ryan - “Don’t do what everyone else is doing, PLEASE.”
Mikey - “Wait, aren’t we still up and coming?”
Cody- “Did you see that crowd tonight? We’re better then up and coming.”
Ryan - “We’re Huge.”


As you can see these guys are a fun ride that the music world needs and it’s only a matter of time before these gentlemen cash in on there success. Check out “Graceful Soul” and after listening you’ll realize why we had the keys to the hype machine early!!

- Cafemaroon.com

"Fully embracing the "That Thing You Do" vibe, this foursome from Clearwater, Florida bop their heads Beatles-style while churning out 60s-inspired power-pop. Think: the perfect openers for The Hives. ...These guys rock!" - Entertainment weekly

"...Tres Bien, a Hives-esque Florida power-pop group whose original song "Your Graceful Soul" is worthy of Lenny Kaye's classic "Nuggets" collection of garage rock." - - Ted Cox Daily Herald Chicago Illinois

Spunky, Brit Invasion-inspired Tres Bien! puts on one heck of an energetic show - a must-see if you haven't experienced the spazzy, stylish and all-out-performing chaps.

- St. Pete Times

If I’m honest, I was slightly unsure over the presumptuous punctuation in the band’s name. Exclamation marks reek of a cocky self assurance and give a We! Are! Great! sort of message but after listening to this Floridian quartet’s latest offering, I soon found I had little reason to doubt. Throughout the album the lead singer frequently squeals like an over- excited Yorkshire terrier which, surprisingly, is not an insult as Captured in Colour is a joyful thrash of a record right. The Strokes-esque guitar rifts of Easy To Love Me help keep things perky and fun whilst the early Green Day sounding punk tracks, Girl You Ain’t Righteous and Two Tablespoons Of Attitude inject the album with an over- healthy dose of rumbling fun. A bumptious indie- rock feast of a record, Très! Bien! appear to live up to their modest continental title. Very! Good! Indeed! - St. Pete Times

I didn’t know what to think the first time I met the boys from Tres Bien!. They were young, wore matching suits, and I heard they were going to be in some new reality show. I felt the dirty inner music snob in me fighting to get out. My presumptions were inaccurate. You should never judge a book by its cover, or a band by their reality show appearance.
Dice up some Brit pop, add 2 cups of Garage Rock, a pinch of Soul and turn it up on high. If you’re into the Hives, Rolling Stones, or Pink Spiders do yourself a favor and check out Tres Bien’s Myspace page (myspace.com/tresbien). You’ll find that every song on their player is determined to attach itself to your skull. Mikey B’s vocals possess just the right amount of vibrato and distortion. Cody Michael Wilson plays the bass and contributes to the vocals, Michael James Crowe plays lead guitar and Ryan Parker Metcalf plays the drums and does some singing too.
Nothing in this group feels overdone. There are no show dogs, just the perfect recipe for any occasion. Every song sounds like a classic hit, timeless yet progressive in its own way. There’s never been a band that has deserved the exclamation point like Tres Bien!


EU: How was the Sweet Dick Dude tour?

Cody: It was great. We’ve never played with such great bands on a tour before. Great crowds at all the shows.

Mikey: Probably the most fun we’ve had on tour thus far.

Crowe: It was cool.

Ryan: The name of the tour pretty much describes it.


EU: Any special man-on-man moments?

Crowe: We witnessed many, but experienced none. Our record is clean.

Ryan: Stay away from Josh. Or stick with him. Depends on your mood, really.

Mikey: Besides all the “Sweet Dick!” comments? Well, it was definitely the least hetero tour we’ve been on, despite our best efforts.


EU: You guys are currently unsigned. Is that by choice or are you actively seeking support?

Mikey: We aren’t opposed to being signed to a label as long as we have the freedom to write the kind of music we want to write.


EU: You boys bade it pretty far on the Fox TV series, The Next Great American Band. A decision like that can be kind of risky as far as street cred goes. What made you want to sign up?

Ryan: Street cred scremeeat cred. Of Montreal is on a freaking outback commercial. Band of Horses hawks cars now.

Mikey: Selling out is the new not selling out. In the ever-declining music industry, you have to do want you can to get your music out there. Yeah, even by reality television.

Ryan: Don’t hate.

Mikey: To us, it was just a great marketing scheme.

Ryan: Don’t hate.


EU: Has the exposure helped recruit new listeners?

Ryan: If you ask me, yeah definitely. If you ask Cody, he’ll swear it did nothing for is. He’s goofy.

Mikey: Either way we’re still not getting laid.

Ryan: What the hell Mikey, we’re trying to be professionals here.

Mikey: Dude, I’m drunk.

Ryan: Oh. Sweet dick dude.

Mikey: Thanks man! I really appreciate that.


EU: If you had to do it all over again, would you? Why?

Mikey: Eh, uh, yeah. That’s a tough one. I guess half of us would and half of us wouldn’t. We can’t even believe it happened yet. In fact, did it happen? What are we talking about?

Ryan: Holy fuck we were on TV.

Mikey: Lol.

Ryan: Lol.


EU: You boys lost to a bunch of kids. Why do you think that is?

Mikey: Their hair is silkier and shinier than ours.

Ryan: They had sicker riffs.

Mikey: And Kid Nation had better ratings than our show anyways.


EU: Mikey and Cody were formally in hardcore bands before crossing over to Tres Bien! What prompted the jump?

Mikey: Um, common sense.

Ryan: Dude, I still play hardcore. Morto Ralphie in da HOUSE. Besides, everyone was in a high school hardcore band.


EU: Besides the usual upcoming tour and hitting the studio shenanigans, what’s in store for the near future?

Mikey: More TOUR! And the first EP to go triple-quadruple-platinum.

Ryan: You’re insane.

Mikey: NO way dude, we have at least four hits on there. Three... You can purchase it at myspace.com/tresbien

Ryan: Yeah.


EU: If you were all stranded on a deserted island, who would you sacrifice for food and why?

Mikey: Cody. He could feed us for weeks

Ryan: Come on, that’s not nice.

Mikey: He wants to die anyways.

Ryan: Man, no wonder we’re not signed.

- EU Jacksonville