Fixer

FIXER, Pennyroyals, Stellar Tuesday, Suckerpunch, Julia Marvel

Trash Bar, Williamsburg - Thursday, March 31

I hadn't seen Fixer in a long time...but that's just been a matter of logistics. These guys are my favorite guilty pleasure on the New York scene; they're the anti-Strokes, in a way, a disarmingly refreshing antidote to the buttoned-down, thriftstore prissiness of so many local indie rockers. There are literally thousands of "bands" in New York City; Fixer are rock stars, they just don't have a platinum record yet.
They look more Sunset Strip than Bedford Avenue, not afraid of excess in either their music (balls to the wall raunchy hard rock in the style of early Guns 'N' Roses) or appearance. What I love about this band is that they treat every fucking show - even a Thursday night in Brooklyn - like it was a CD release party, a photo shoot, and New Year's Eve all rolled into one. (Are you reading this, Stellar Tuesday?) They've got an EP ready to come out (the new song "Voodoo Man" sounds like a winner) and the guys told me they've been showcasing for several major labels. I predicted a couple of years ago that Fixer would be huge; don't make a liar out of me, boys. - Jersey Beat Magazine

Fixer is a record label’s answer to the current decline in sales-- they just don’t know it yet. The ability to pack the house with hundreds of fans at New York City’s CBGB recently, without the luxury of a labels’ backing, justifies the buzz surrounding Fixer, and boy do they live up to that hype.

Famous for their intense live performances and ability to crack any crowd, producers had yet to capture this power in their recording. That is until now. With Mixing In With My Blood, producer Brian Howes has delivered a Fixer album that plays like a live Fixer set.

Compared to the band’s previous efforts, Mixing In With My Blood shows an evolution that does not jeopardize the successful formula and integrity the band has cultivated. You will hear songs containing the usual memorable yet rough melodies infused with catchy lyrics that will reverberate long after this four-tracker leaves you wanting to hit replay.

Kicking off with “Tell No One,” Mixing In With My Blood grabs your ear and drags you along willingly. “Tell No One” begins with the pristine voice of frontman Evan R. Saffer and soon combusts into a metal guitar freak-out. From the moment you hear it, I guarantee you’ll be singing along to the infectious “uh-ohs” of this tune.

The second track might very well be one of the most beautiful rock/love songs ever penned. “What It’s Like” is an elegiac ballad in which Evan Saffer’s voice is a supple and engaging instrument floating with the song. You’d think that Fixer has gone all soft on us until you hear Saffer’s howling melodic cry of “there’s a part of me that’s free…!” in the chorus.

As you are happily singing along, something sinister happens, the title track sneaks an aural attack in a compelling rather than catchy track whose deliberate momentum matches the downward spiraling into the abyss of drug use. This skillfully crafted song demonstrates what innovative songwriters these boys are, with an expert understanding of sonic space. The increasing velocity of this gem of a song with its short, quick lyrics not only moves us through time but it suggests inner conflict and its abrupt ending a very deliberate vagueness symbolizing the perils of drug abuse.

The fourth and final track “Dirty Girl” continues the theme of drug abuse as it chronicles the fall of a young woman in a fast pace dissonance to the seriousness of its not-so-subtle message. This is one of the songs in the album which showcases the voices of the other members of Fixer. J Brown, Wilson and Newton‘s voices form a dynamic backdrop to Saffer’s forceful delivery. This is also the song that will have you dancing, yet will leave you dazed and dumbfounded.

Mixing In With My Blood raises the bar for the potential in music, making this a worthwhile listen and when the music industry wakes up, Fixer fans will be one step ahead.
- Sugarbuzz Magazine

FIXER has been a band we've been following for years -- these guys are great practitioners of the art form of down home, ole time rock n' roll – a highly disciplined band with great oddball whimsy who have also discovered their own sound that's solid -- go to their site, listen to the music, be there, do that, buy a T-shirt and be happy.
- College 500

January 13, 2006

Ladies, don your skinny jeans and black stilettos. Gents get ready to grease up the mohawks. Local NYC rock band, Fixer is playing at CBGB. QLL had our first taste this summer and, quite frankly, we're dying to go back for more.

Jumping on no bandwagons, Fixer have absorbed all the hi-test, hard rock, post-punk influences from the past and churned out their own intoxicating flavor of rock and roll.

Put simply, they rock. Frontman Evan Saffer is not only an excellent vocalist but Rev Newton on drums is not to be missed.

Dinner plans? Go ahead and cancel. This show starts at 10:30 and you'd be sorry to miss it.

CBGB
315 Bowery
btwn 1st and 2nd Avenues
- Quarter Life Living

June 20, 2005
By Keith Gessen

“...The next week, I stopped by CBGB on a Saturday night. This time, the place was busy—two of the bands, the Pennyroyals and Fixer, were, I was told, on the verge of major-label deals. I missed the Pennyroyals, but I caught Fixer. They were pros. The drummer was fast, the guitarist was shirtless, the bassist wore a suit jacket and looked kind of intellectual. But the lead singer of Fixer was the thing. He had eyeliner and a complicated outfit: black pants with laces running along the legs, a black vest buttoned on the left, black cloth wristbands. He moved around the stage like a snake, flinging the sweat from his hair onto the crowd…”
- New York Magazine

For those who like Velevet Revolver, then you best throw "Contraband" on the scrap heap and start listening to this New York four-piece. Why? They're fresh, full of energy and do the whole cock rock thing a little better. Maybe not as many drugs but just as many women hover around this evolving New York rock animal that has more riffs than your average leather jacket rock band. Expect a full-length from these guys later this year. - Anemic Magazine

Fuckin A this is a killer rock band. Thick powerful riffs along with some awesome vocals that fit this band perfect. The music is heavy, but still very catchy at the same time. These 5 songs are just like a little taste of what I am sure this band can do. All 5 songs are just plain 100% kick ass rock n roll that has been missing from the scene. I love it. Also enclosed is a DVD. - Metalcore Magazine

The Players: Evan R. Saffer, lead vocals; Wilson Lihn, guitar; Tim Newton, drums; J Brown, bass.

Material: “Need it Now” is Fixer’s best bet with its powerful and seductive lyrics that serve both a rhythmic and tranquilizing effect. From the lyrics “You can tell when you look in my eye, much better than the regular kind” to “Always callin’, always fallin’” (with “Do it again” repeated as the chorus), “Need it Now” is a crowd favorite. Along with the catchy “Two Into One” where “Pleasure into pain” is the focal point, Fixer proves that they can write intriguing material.

Musicianship: Influenced by bands such as Guns N’ Roses, L.A. Guns, Alice in Chains, and Jane’s Addiction, Fixer rocks long and hard, backing up Saffer’s vocals with strong instrumental talent. There are no weak links in this group. The entire ensemble works together as a team. Evan Saffer, with his black leather pants and tattoos, can walk through the crowd and still sing in the style of Phil Lewis of L.A. Guns, hitting and holding those hard-to-hit notes confidently.

Performance: Fixer put on a stellar performance that was both exciting and enjoyable. The fans were enthusiastic, hyper, and energetic. Some groupies had traveled from the East Coast to see Fixer, and the locals that had come to see other bands obviously enjoyed their strong stage presence. After the show, all the members of Fixer worked the crowd promoting heavily.

Summary: These New York-based musicians are preparing to tour the country, and they are off to a great start with seductive, well-written material and strong showmanship. Fixer will do well on the road since they’re totally dedicated and committed to living, breathing, and experiencing the rock & roll lifestyle. It shows when this group is onstage, and the players don’t seem to mind the sacrifices and hard work that come along with it. - Music Connection Magazine

I can’t count how many times I've been to the edge. This trip found me face to face with NYC's Fixer…a foursome with more talent and style than I've heard in many moons. In listening to “All the Pleasure That You Crave” I found reason upon reason to add these guys to my top list.

If you’re not familiar with Fixer it’s time to get acquainted. Lead singer Evan Saffer has no problem with getting in your face and flaunting what he’s got…a very powerful vocal front that isn’t easily eclipsed by Wilson Lihn’s screaming licks and crunchy riffs. I can’t leave out the percussion section…some fat bass by J Brown…and you gotta love a drummer who calls himself “The Rev. Diamond Tim Newton.”

Fixer's music exhibits great diversity from the metallic “Two Into One” to the dark and melodic “Without” to the energetic “Need It Now.” These guys will have your blood pumping and your mind racing.

My recommendation is to scoop these guys up in a hurry…you’ll thank me! The scene has been ready for Fixer for a long time so I give them an undeniable 5 stars.
- Garage Radio

Mixing the aural attacks of Axl Rose, Jon Bon Jovi, and a whole legion of incredible, over-the-top singers, Fixer cuts through the shoegazing, new-rock of New York hacks The Strokes, as well as the The Vines, Jet, The White Stripes, and all of the other acts that circle jerk over the memory of bands that they have nowhere near the talent level of. Whether it is the aforementioned vocals of Evan, or the vacillating guitars (should I say, vacillating between the crunchiness of nu-metal bands like Static-X and the sheer cutting solos of Helloween) of Wilson, Fixer is a band that has a destination in mind. To be honest, this is where Guns’N’Roses should be at now, in 2003, if Axl Rose wasn’t such an overbearing prick. Everything is here: everyone is talented, and Fixer mixes in perfect proportions New York Dolls and Ramones with Aerosmith and Rush, to make this fusion sound that has not been heard since “Appetite for Destruction.” - Neufutur Magazine