Demetra

An interesting amalgamation of indie rock, punk, and surprisingly, country influences. From looking at the cover I got the impression this was gonna be some sort of glam/punk hybrid, and in fact I do hear those stylistic genres on this track, but the country influence really shakes things up in a way that allows the song to sound distinctive. The voice feels really powerful and easily conveys the emotion inherent in the lyrical imagery (which seems very sincere). The band is tight and obviously clued in to the same set of influences..... Cool band, great song! - TAXI

I have so many great memories to songs by female artists like The Runaways, The Pretenders, Suzi Quatro and Blondie - so when a new band comes along that sounds a bit like my childhood idols, I become nostalgic and put on a big smile because it's a lot easier to listen to something that awakens good old memories from the past than something with a completely new sound.
Demetra is a 4 piece new wave/pop act from Queens, New York that will please fans of Blondie and The Pretenders - their self titled debut cd is produced with a sound that bring thoughts to the 80's scene.

Not all songs gets my attention but there are a few really good songs like the opener "Beam me up Scotty" that is handmade for Debbie Harry and the catchy "Earth meets the sun" that could've been written by Chrissie Hynde.
My personal fave is the upbeat "Girlfight" that flirts with The Runaways hit "Cherry bomb", the songs are written by singer Demetra with some help from guitarist Danny Nez.
A charming record! - Kaj Roth

We just sifted through the hundreds of leaflets in our CMJ goodie bags, and found twenty five items worth mentioning.

16. Demetra Button - The LimeWire Music Blog

Rating: 8.3 out of 10
By Senior Writer C.W. Ross

Demetra has been together for less then a year and this CD is their self-titled debut release. The album is also known as, 'The Red Album.'

This band hailing from New York City brings back 80's new wave music with all sorts of new twist and turns. As you can tell from their huge list of musical influences this band isn't going to be happy delivering only one particular style of music. The band describes its style as: new wave-meets-punk-meets-garage-meets-pop music.

On The Red Album you'll find 10 listed tracks plus one unlisted one named, "Emily."

The whole thing gets started with the campy song, "Beam Me Up Scotty," The songs deals with all of the chaotic stuff going on in the world and how sometimes you just get tired of it and want to get away from it all and be beamed away like in the old Star Trek series. Musically the song is filled with up-tempo dance beats. "Beam Me Up Scotty" also was awarded "Track of the Day" on GarageBand's site.

With this song's title the band shows their love for science fiction. They also have a keen fashion sense, and what they describe as a, 'strange fascination with cowgirls and cowboys,' that offer subject matter for the remaining songs found on this release.

Demetra's sound is hard to pin down but I'd describe it like a big pot of jambalaya. Take Debbie Harry (Blondie), The Clash, No Doubt, and The B-52's mix it all into the pot and you'll have a idea of the band's sound.

When asked about their music Demetra said that, "We want listeners or the audience to feel energized- and like it was money well spent. They should feel like they just saw one of the best live performances ever."

Besides their musical talent the band also offers eye candy for their listeners. On the cover you'll find band front woman Demetra in red heels, a micro mini skirt with a pouting look that showcases her voluptuous lips. Don't worry ladies there's also something for you on the cover. You'll also find band member Danny Nez pictured in a pair of tight red leather pants.

Getting back to the music this band isn't afraid to be playful and take risk. Instead of going down the main paved road most bands would chose they like to take trips down side musical dirt roads. The result is familiar yet fresh music that's well worth taking the time to hear.
- Album Review

WHO SAID ROCK N' ROLL was a bad influence on the youth of America? The founding members of Queens-based gutter-rockers Demetra-singerJamieParganosandguitaristDannyNez- may spend their nights getting sweaty and boozy in their spunky punk 'n' roll band, but during the day they're working at Groundwork, a non-profit organization that provides after-school education for at-risk youth in high poverty communities. "I started out as the music specialist doing hip-hop albums with them," says Parganos. "I taught them how to use music software and make their own beats and how to sing, play guitar and drums." Nez is a soccer teacher. For the kids involved in the program, it's an opportunity not only to learn about music, but about life beyond their block. "We're trying to get the kids to... look at the world outside just their neighborhood," says Parganos. Though altruistic, the band is driven. They won an Ourstage.com competition to earn a spot at this year's CMJ Music Marathon and self-released their debut record- in just one year of existence! It's a testament to their hard work and energetic live shows that leave both blood and sweat on stage amid a flurry of fuzzed out pop that runs the gamut from indie rock indifference to whiskey-drenched trash rock. Think a young Gwen Stefani tussling with Generation X. Or as Parganos jokes, "We're a very weird band." --Matt Kiser - CMJ New Music Report

Queens-based quartet Demetra has been electrifying audiences since they first set foot on a stage last year with some of the grittiest new wave/glam rock out there today. In their brief existence, they've managed to win an OurStage competition, land a spot playing at the 2007 CMJ Music Marathon and self-release a thrilling self-titled debut. Lead singer Jamie Parganos is a capable frontwoman with a dynamic vocal range that goes from seductive speak-singing to a soaring, spunk-filled snarl with ease. She claws and scratches through the first track "Beam Me Up Scotty," a Sputnik rock 'n' roll adventure that burrows into the depths of the Earth's decaying social strata. Later in the disc, the band tones down their locked-and-loaded approach in favor of sweet water narrative deliveries from Parganos and tasteful pop punk courtesy of guitarist Danny Nez. Though less irreverent, there is a strong affinity toward the big rock sound of Guns N' Roses and AC/DC, as well as the pop-sensible sass of No Doubt and Blondie. Demetra may only be a four-piece with just over a year behind them, but their big sound and solid songwriting is belies their relatively short history. The band has a real sense of what they're trying to do, which is rare for a group so new to the game. - CMJ.COM

Pop-punk band Demetra put on an impressive set...... Last weekend, hedonistic rock-party Circus took over Luna Lounge in Brooklyn, sporting a unique theme: Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Creative party-goers flocked to the event dressed as flashers, schoolchildren, monkeys and popstars. Glam band Valeze played an energetic comeback set, along with pop punk newcomers Demetra. - Limewire Music Blog

Demetra is both the name of a band, its featured member, and its new CD. Demetra the band is a quartet from Queens, and Demetra the lead singer, keyboardist, and focus of the band has got that Jersey girl thing going on, which is Joespeak for "she's irresistible." Demetra, the debut CD, is irresistible as well, however, and not just because of the band's lead singer.

Demetra has got the Blondie thing going on that Blondie had before they started taking themselves too seriously, trashy guitars and songs about trashy girls and decadent relationships. You can probably draw a direct line from the Shangri-Las to Blondie to Demetra. I'm also reminded, for some reason, of Carla DeVito when she was singing backup for Meatloaf; I'm not sure why, it's just part of Demetra's kitsch, particularly on songs like Beam Me Up Scotty and Girlfight. The majority of the tracks clock in at around three minutes, which is a good thing, with a couple of them a minute over and a minute under. Demetra isn't trying for a Pink Floyd thing, either, which is just great as well, guitars and drums and keys and lots of chutzpah, with the band coming off like they're just a little better than they really are, and y'know what? That's the spirit of rock, distilled to its purest form. Girlfight starts off with cheerleader chant and swipes the "Girls Girls" line from Motley Crue, Make A Scene is pure Deborah Harry, and it's really hard not to love every second of it. In fact, Demetra sneaks up on you; the first listen, it sounds kind of derivative, but the second and third time through you can really appreciate what's going on here. If you know any nineteen year-old waitresses who work the weekend late night shift at pizza restaurants and have their noses pierced, you can't listen to Demetra without thinking of them, particularly, the track Even A Cowgirl Gets The Blues. If there's a track on this disc that doesn't work, it might be 5/16 Goodbye, but it's followed by Ur Killin' My Buzz, which I bet is a killer in live performance, probably as a closer.

Demetra is one of those discs that will play in the back of your head even when you listen to other music, or when you're trying to get to sleep at night. This is a strong intro from a band whose talent, from all appearances, has yet to be fully tapped. Recommended.
- Album Review

Producing frenetic pop infused with sometimes jazzy, commanding vocals that could take a dive at Blondie and still not seem too mimicry-based, this band is able to be surefooted and unyielding, at least on tracks like “Beam Me Scotty” which takes strides at slapping down a world beset by crazy, modern obsessions with celebrities. “Girlfight” aims a sonic fist at the blond girls stealing boyfriends and money in a piano-stoked, pulse-streaming vibe though it also unleashes an almost cooing coolness near the end that belies the fact that they seem to incorporate their own chorus of cheerleaders to create a wall of sound. “Make a Scene” galvanizes easy rhymes into a limber pop amalgam of straight-ahead melody and strict guitar snares. “Earth Meets the Sun” slows down enough to capture a vignette about strangers on a bus, culture shock, and ringtones, all compressed into a keyboard caked integration of deadlocked power pop that doesn’t suffer too badly from formula by easing away from stifling super-production. The more pushy, bouncing vocals of “I’m Funny Like That” hits the same pace almost but is able to wax lyrically about people being like ostriches in the sand, parking lots being a yellow brick road, and the government being unresponsive. So, despite the fact that it feels a bit like time-warped teenage music for the Miami Vice era, when the Motels and Pat Benatar held sway, it’s got a heavy does of foaming intelligence and dynamic wordplay and allusions to make even a jaded critic take his blindfolds off.
“Creature of Habit” and “Wrong Direction” don’t offer up quite the same pot of possibility, but do remain broadly mainstream in some sense, yet even tingly and muscled in places. The slightly kickin’, reggae-rustic “Even a Cowgirl Gets the Blues” succeeds at being kinetic in the right direction, and waxes about the gals burning holes in the night with their tattoos and dancing shoes, but of all the tracks, it feels a little less cohesive, though I do enjoy the Gun Club-esque stream of Westernized noise that seems to float in the background. “5-16” Goodbye” is the slow treading soul on ice detour with anthemic jock rock charisma. Lita Ford for the grrl poetry crowd. “UR Killin’ My Buzz” skips with an agile, sorta country vibe that is loose and full of short, jumpy strides, replete with a guitar that feels defaced by the right noise jabs and laid-back and rolling when the song tries to roll up its sleeves and revel in sawdust and suss.
- Album Review

“Beam Me Up Scotty” is the first track on this, Demetra’s self-titled released. While there are sci-fi beeps and bloops that seem to bring the band into a dance-punk type of style, the female vocals that are present during the track recall acts like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Donnas, and Battershell. The style of rock music that Demetra play on this album is very hooky, catchy, and will have no problem finding fans. “Girlfight” starts out with a very Bay City Rollers meets Toni Basil sort of cheerleader chant, before going into the slightly harder Ramones-type of instrumentation that first presented itself during “Beam Me Up Scotty”. It is during this “Girlfight” that the vocals start to shift towards a stylistic unity with late-nineties rockers Switchblade Kittens.

The addition of a number of vocal layers to “Girlfight” give the track a fuller sound than “Beam Me Up Scotty”, something that allows Demetra to go into “Make A Scene” with maximum momentum. “Make A Scene” is a track that allows the band to insert emotion into the opening guitars. The addition of this emotional content into the guitar riffs gradually transfers into the vocals. It is with this very emotional sound and evolutionary style that the band hits on early Green Day with this track. The vocal harmonies on “Make A Scene” show an evolution over other Demetra tracks; the band continually modifies and shifts their sound to keep individuals interested.

This experimental tendency of Demetra is further shown during “Earth Meets The Sun”. During “Earth Meets The Sun”, the band goes the Franz Ferdinand route, linking together cold, sterile synthesizer with a disco drum beat, all while the vocals continue their strong and hooky style. The minor touch of ska that makes its’ present felt during “Earth Meets The Sun” is a further cherry on the top of the dessert that is the track; the band can unite disparate style and still make them work. Demetra creates a variant of the Ramones brand of pop-punk that literally thousands of different bands have attempted through the last twenty-five years. What distinguishes Demetra from all of these bands are the fact that the band is never completely happy with how they sound, and that they imbue each of the tracks on the disc with a level of harmony that is equivalent to tracks like “Chinese Rocks” and “Rockaway Beach”. Demetra have a bright future ahead of them.

Top Tracks: I’m Funny Like That, 5-16 Goodbye

Rating: 7.4/10

- Album Review