Eugenemusic

Eugene, a band composed of Loyola students, is beginning to make waves on the local scene. Eugene showcases hard rock, fun, and subtle psychedelic elements in a rollicking rhythm and blues package. Live shows cater to the band's growing audience.

"When we get up there, it's not a scripted act," vocalist Emmanuel Catanzariti said. "It's about seeing what the audience is digging. My philosophy is that if I'm playing a song and I'm getting bored, then the audience is certainly getting bored. I know I'm not doing it right unless people in the front are subconsciously moving as well."
This attention to the mood of the mood of the room inspires audiences to sing along to favorite songs, while jazz influenced improvisation keeps the set-list fresh. The band members' familiarity with each other's stylistic tendencies enables musical conversation in a live setting.
"If we do something small and it really fits the energy, then we'll pick up on that and try to take it somewhere," percussionist Bruce Nolan said. "We're always aiming to connect like that."
A medley of genres surface in Eugene's songwriting. Songs lead up to dramatic choruses, while folk-influenced fingerpicking helps transition between heavier and softer sections. The slightly gospel "Persephone" has an old school doo-wop hailing from the '50s and '60s, while the new single, "Curtain Call" takes a funkier approach, with a Booker T & the MGs-like organ intro layered over a second like drum beat. Bluesy guitar riffs, solid bass lines and striking vocals build a smooth vibe for this song, which puts an R&B spin on early Steve Miller and Little Feat. Eugene has mastered complementation of these different influences by analyzing its recordings.
Catanzariti opened his musical time capsule to dust off songs for Eugene that he wrote as a 16-year-old. Pulling from this uncensored emotion offers a refreshingly youthful perspective. The quartet channels this under-rated enthusiasm for life and music.
"It's so easy to burn yourself out, especially at this point", Fleischer said. "I teach drums to 5-year-olds, and watching the fun and enjoyment they get helps me remember why we're doing this and helps keep that fresh aspect."
"Curtain Call" will be feature in the compilation "Made in New Orleans Volume 1" and Eugene will open for Gold and the Rush, Mission South and Mail the Horse on Saturday at Cafe Prytania. - The Hullabaloo

As passionate as our local scene here in Albuquerque is, there aren’t many bands that take the “less is more” philosophy to heart or, simply, a more chill approach to songwriting.

And not as in a “slow-the-beat-down-during-the-bridge-clap-your-hands” kind of chill. More of like a cosmic intergalactic wave of stardust orbiting Alpha Centauri at the pace of your own soul’s rhythm chill.

Indie neo-soul trio Eugene is the closest thing to that daydream, and they present themselves with wit and poise — an amalgamation of feverish melodies, slick licks and lyrics that poetically illustrate the human experience. Filled to the brim with three musically-trained guitarists:

- Emmanuel Catanzariti on lead, keys and vocals,

- Kendal Jones on bass.

- And Marshall Broyles on drums.

The group re-adapted themselves to play whatever instrument was needed to realize a certain core sentiment, one that is, for the most part, channeled through Catanzariti’s songwriting. It seems like every track was written on a rainy evening in Manhattan, striding through city blocks with a cigarette in one hand and a book of Dorthy Parker poems in the other.

When, in reality, the group couldn’t be more meticulous. Despite a plethora of improvised solos from both Jones and Catanzariti, everything else is on rails with a sense of perfectionism: from the vocals to the delivery to the production to the final result. It may stem from their origins in New Orleans, in which the music scene is much more saturated, intense, ubiquitous and professional.

Catanzariti has since emigrated from Louisiana and snagged two Albuquerque natives on the way, revitalizing his three-piece with an emphasis on the omnipresent southwestern vibe.

Eugene will be releasing their first full-length record “Kush”, in early 2018. Until then, they performed four songs at the unkept Garage to tease some upcoming material.

Audrin Baghaie is the music editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at music@dailylobo.comor on Twitter @AudrinTheOdd. - The Daily Lobo