Nymphidels

Two piece original kick ass rock duo from Providence. No that is not Wikipedia’s definition or even Websters. As a matter of fact you won’t find a definition in either (yet)!

That is also not a typo, this band is made up of TWO, Jess Moroney on vox/guitar & Pat Flanagan back up vox /drums.

Now be honest, you just read two piece band…..and you thinking “how hip can a two piece band be?’ and a small part of your brain is translating this as a lounge act at some upscale Hampton Inn. This is definitely not the case with the Nymphidels. This duo will instantly erase those imagines from the moment a song is put forth from the stage. There is no need to compensate with additional musicians to round out their sound or stage presence.

The duo had their first show in January 2012 and hasn't stopped, frequently on many local nightly line ups. 2012 also had the two making their NYC debut. Jess truly rocks out on vocals (Mike Jagger like) & electric guitar to Pat’s rollicking drum beats. Their reputation for high-impact original rock music, dynamic on-stage chemistry, and building a loyal fan base along the way, has earned them several nominations in local magazines for "Breakthrough Band of the Year".

You can witness this powerful, talented rock duo act yourself at one of their upcoming shows:

1/31 News Café
2/13 The Parlour
3/14 Rock for a Cure at The Oasis - Providence Night Out

Our next artist is from an alt-rock band that just released their debut EP, A Band in Places. She handles both the guitar and lead vocals in The Nymphidels. Jess Moroney step up to the microphone!

MC: Who would you say are some of your biggest musical influences?

JM: My earliest memories start in kindergarten with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Julio Iglesias and “oldies but goodies.” Then after that it was Bon Jovi to Guns N’ Roses. After that, Faith No More grabbed me, and Mike Patton was huge for me. Then at a Mr. Bungle concert, Gish was the house music between bands and I fell hard into that sound. And then Pearl Jam opened for the Pumpkins at the Palladium and I fell hard again. Fast forward to Radiohead, Sigur Ros, then rewind to revisiting the classics, like The Who, which holds tight. I know I am leaving out big ones here that are my favorites, but the list is endless.

The ones that startle me out of whatever musical box I might be stuck in at the moment stick out the most, and if it’s truly good and has lasting power, it is something that keeps me and I keep it. The Beatles for me are timeless, and even now, I will hear a song that moves me in a new way, making it feel like it is the first time I ever heard it. That is the magic I love and believe in about music across time and genres. So anything that contains “that thing,” for whatever reason particular to me, is I guess the simple answer to the question.

MC: How did The Nymphidels start? Was it always the plan to be a two-piece?

JM: One thing I can say that is 100% accurate, Nymphidels as a two-piece was never a plan or even thought of as an option at the beginning. And it started with me deciding to start a band with my original songs for the first time, and had no idea how to go about it, even though I have joined many bands that had someone starting it, but it seemed daunting – so much so it took me awhile to actually do it. Initially in my mind I was picturing a five-piece actually, or at least a four. I didn’t put an ad out, just started asking around to fellow music friends. Pat and I didn’t know each other at the time, but had friends in common. One night he came to an open mic, heard my songs and liked them. So I sent him a message. I was ready to get something started, and it was hard to find ready and able musicians at the time whose schedules synced up… it was like trying to solve a difficult logic question on the GRE or something.

The first “practice” I arranged ended up being just me and Pat in my friend’s basement using what they had for equipment because we didn’t have a space yet. I didn’t even have an amp or electric guitar I could use at the time (my songs were played acoustic beforehand) and that was our first time playing. Other people played with us early on, and we never set out to keep it a two-piece, but there definitely was a musical chemistry from the beginning between the two of us. That along with life events have in a weird way steered us towards keeping it this way for now. My planning of the band had issues at the start, but somehow the way it started is the way it still is.

MC: What’s your favorite show you’ve played or attended and why?

JM: I love every show for different reasons… even the weird ones. We played a few benefit shows early on where we met great people and bands, and they all now still come to shows, support and promote our music, and have become our friends. So those shows were special to us – getting a chance to help raise money for good causes, and gaining new friends and fans that are still with us now.

MC: What do The Nymphidels have planned for 2013?

JM: Keep the momentum going. More shows in more places; hit the studio again; keep writing; go to shows; and for some strange reason I want to have a huge show somewhere with other local bands that warrants all of us and friends renting a tour bus for a weekend or something… but that might be lofty. We’ll see. - Motif Magazine

Live Music Review: The Nymphidels (Trash Bar)

The Nymphidels are a Providence, Rhode Island duo with a cool name and an even cooler female front, Jess Moroney. Jess truly rocks out on vocals and electric guitar to Pat Flanagan's rollicking drum beats. As for musical style, the Nymphidels are the direct descendents of Liz Phair and Veruca Salt. The duo could add a guitar/vocal, freeing Jess to rock us even harder. But if it would diminish her alt-rock swagger - I mean, at all - I wouldn't change a thing

-Stephen Baker, NYC Indie Music Live - NYC Indie Music Live

Nymphidels – A Band in Places

Nymphidels keeps things basic as far as being a two piece with Jess Moroney on vox/guitar and Pat Flanagan on drums. They did go a little unconventional in terms of packaging their debut EP, A Band in Places, by eschewing the traditional CD release and putting it out on a wristband package that contains a USB flash drive that has the tunes and a lighter for that extra spark. The five-song A Band in Places kicks off with “Nauseous,” which has the Nymphidels sounding like a two-piece jam band based on the funk guitar riff. Given the tendency of jam bands to have seven or eight members, depending upon if a member of the audience wants to come up and play backup bongos, the stripped down presentation combined with the song being under five minutes here works in the Nymphidels’ favor.

“Womb” is a catchy ditty that reminds me of early Juliana Hatfield with a refrain about returning to one’s mother’s womb after having a bad day. “Wake Up” is reminiscent of a lo-fi 90s pop rocker in the vein of a Velocity Girl or a Small Factory. I think “Running Out” is why a cigarette lighter was included in the package, being that it is a jangling power ballad, albeit more indie rock than Cinderella.

The hook laden “No Turning Back” is a winner, closing out the EP with a bang.

Nymphidels had the misfortune of timing their EP release show on the same evening that a snowstorm shut down most of New England. To their credit, on a night when most things were cancelled, they trudged on to the show despite even getting into a car accident on the way there to play for the brave few able to make it through the storm. This qualifies them as warriors in my book.

There was talk that was unconfirmed at press time about restaging the show at The Apartment on a Thursday toward the end of January, but they’ll definitely be at Firehouse 13 in February, so check them out.

-Marc Clarkin, Motif Magazine - Motif Magazine

It's very usual these days to listen to a band with a non-conventional rock band line up. Bands with 2 basses, bands with 2 drums, bands with no instruments at all, but mostly, just drums and a guitar. All right, Jack and Megan White did good. Yes, that’s a fact. But honestly, even if The White Stripes are your favorite band you wish something was added, or you would take something off.

That’s not the case of the Providence based duo Nymphidels. Starting with who does what, the man sits on the drums, Pat Flanagan, and the girl rocks the guitar and sings, Jess Moroney. Then there is that no super-star attitude. There is pure and perfect rock n’ roll.

And there is a way to buy their music: A Band in Places is a 5 track EP available in the form of a USB wristband. There is the c.d. option upon request, but wouldn’t you be a proud holder of a wristband with the word Nymphidels, which is coincidentally the name a super rock n’ roll duo?

-Rodrigo De Sa, Insomnia Radio - Insomnia Radio