Kiss the Villain

"'Misplaced' is pure pop mastery, a touching ballad with a sweeping chorus." -Edith Hawley, Roundabout Music -UK-3-14-07



- Roundabout Music- UK

In Santa Fe, at a dive bar with a pushy/charming Greek bartender, I saw a mega rock show. Evangelos was probably the size of my living room and was packed balls to butts. The crowd was there for a rock show and had even spilled out onto the street.

The three band lineup kicked off with a Dallas based pop-punk outfit called Thorn vs. Side. Most of you know that I hate that kind of recycled shit, but these guys were actually creative...and catchy. They were louder than hell and at one point the bartender stormed up on stage and demanded that they turn down. The crowd wasn't having it, and I knew we were in for a fun night.

After TvS warmed 'em up Santa Fe's The Mayfair Classics came in and set the place on fire. They were all guitars to 11 all the time. The charismatic lead singer got the attention of the ladies in the place as he gave his best Jim Morrison impersonation. Their songs were well crafted and their musicianship was tight. By the time they finished I thought there was no way in hell the next band could top the previous two...well fuck me, wouldn't you believe it? I was wrong.

Kiss the Villain walked up on stage cool and collected. No swagger or rockstar shenanigans, just workmanlike confidence. They grabbed their instruments, counted into their first number (A rocker titled She's a Deamer), and instantly I knew who everyone had come to see. They were catchy and clever, with great dynamics and harmonies. All electric, not too loud, but still blaring. The combination of punk and prog and pop was dynamite. Original after original kept my attention and the Helter Skelter encore was brutally honest. They have headliner written all over them. Look them up on Myspace. I heard that they are making a trip up to play a couple dives in Springs and in Denver. This is a must see act.

-Micah
7/01/07 - micahsmuzak (blog)

Why bother with writing eight minute prog rock songs when you can say everything you need to say in three? That is the motto of the New Mexico based indie rock outfit Kiss the Villain. The songwriting is introspective and the arrangements are brainy, but at no point do they sacrifice the catchiness that is their calling card.” -Ed Coale, Open Microphone- 1-16-07



- Open Microphone

"Deep, soul searching lyrics set to the backdrop of anarchy and punk. The New Mexico based foursome has generated a buzz around campus with they’re bootleg demo, including on it the hook laden ‘A Beautiful Suicide’… -Ryan Dean, Campus Underground – Tucson, Arizona- 4-21-07


- Campus Underground

At no point during their debut Ep, Here's the Story (sad but true), does the New Mexico based Prog-Pop outfit Kiss the Villain try to conceal their influences. A clever blend of stadium choruses and prog arrangements give them a familar sound but a style all their own.

The opening riff of the album's lead track 'Come Around Our Way' bears an eerie resemblance to that of 'Rock and Roll Star', the first track on Oasis' legendary debut Definitely Maybe. Like the aforementioned brit pop masterpiece, the tune boasts loud, driving guitars and a memorable melody. The complex drum arrangement however, makes it unique enough so that the obvious pinch appears as an homage.

The hook filled 'A Beautiful Suicide' is a gloomy love song masquerading as a breezy pop anthem and the ballad 'Misplaced' is a radio ready makeout song that is cheezy enough to be played at prom, but heavy enough to bang your head to.

'Sunday Sidewalk', the star of the record, sounds like a drug induced, but soul searching rant. Jon Salazar's ominous vocal is complimented by an equally dreary mix of deep guitars and bass. While Chad Olsen's syncopated drum beat is the perfect anecdote to the potential monotony of a song with so few changes.

What 'Here's the Story' lacks in imagination it makes up for with good taste. Oasis sounds like The Beatles, and early on, The Beatles sounded like Bill Hailey. Maybe these bands were diabolical, master thieves… or maybe they just listened good music. 7.5 out of 10



-Reagan Miller
2-19-07

- Stay Young Magazine