Robes
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Robes

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Band Rock Alternative

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Robes Breaks/Show review"

Girl About Town first caught Robes at their show opening to a packed audience for Little Joy and The Dead Trees earlier this month. The band's name is safer assumed than thoughtful: “We were recording demos in our bathrobes, because our heater wasn’t working,” said Shafer. “So we started to [call ourselves] the Robes.” (Litty Samuel, AroundPhilly.com) The five-piece based out of Philly and Wilkes-Barre has only recently released their debut EP for free download via their myspace page, but you can also pick up the hand-printed cardboard digipak at their show straight from the band if you prefer to keep it old-school and support the artist in their future endeavors. All of the songs on The Breaks EP portray a young band who is off and running with a very impressive start for only having been together for a year. Wearing their second-generation Brit-pop and rock influences on their sleeves, the band has a lead-singer/front-man who prefers the microphone to the guitar, only further cementing any comparisons to a Stone Roses or Ride-era neu Oasis hip-sway. Utilizing samples and a euphoric sense of delivery, the EP opener How Do You Do It? swirls to a soaring guitar crescendo, while The Breaks begins at a lower point bringing the EP back to earth with its near-angry outburst "but my god, why do I keep fucking up?" making heavy room for the familiar Cobain/Oasis adage (see: Neil Young's My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)) eventually stating, "it's better to burn out than to fade away". Their anthem comes in a fitting ending track, with the shoegaze and jarring finale of the aptly titled "I'm Floating On You". If The Breaks EP is just the beginning for Robes, we can't wait to see how they develop.

http://www.phillygirlabouttown.com/girl_about_town/2008/11/robes-the-breaks-ep-independent.html
- Phillygirlabouttown.com


"The Photon Band/Capitol Years/Robes"

If you're any kind of Philly music fan, you will be at this show. It's led by the old guard, Art DiFuria's very-spaced-out Photon Band, who had a fine showing on last year's Back Down to Earth. Re-emergent scene stalwarts Capitol Years hold down the middle, while new luminaries Robes round out the solid triple bill. We introduced them to you this spring; their new, McTear-produced Nothing Can Save Us is every bit the Kevin Shields-tastic bliss we imagined. Get there early, stay late.


http://citypaper.net/articles/2009/07/23/the-photon-band-the-capitol-years-robes - Philadelphia City Paper


"Robes (M Room gig + E.P. review)"

Together only since last year, fresh-faced locals Robes have already played a huge Campus Philly gig and released a slick-sounding EP called The Breaks. With a cocky swagger and gritty cool, the boys rattle off dancefloor-fit guitar-pop slathered in a thick shoegaze-y haze, emerging like bastard children of Ride, the Strokes and Joy Division. Their densest tune, “I’m Floating on You,” divebombs us with effects pedals without losing a drop of romance, and the EP’s equally dreamy title track slows things down while ramping up the bitterness. Fresh off opening for the Strokes offshoot Little Joy, Robes’ next step is a three-state jaunt that should find them as driven as ever. (D.W.) - Philadelphia Weekly


"Robes Continues June Residency At Silk City"

Tonight, the great Robes will be fuzzing up Silk City with a record release show for their limited edition EP. The big sound of M83 meets Slowdive on the new Robes music, especially “Nothing Can Save Us,” a demo of which you can hear on their MySpace page. This band could be the next great Philadelphia rock band, don’t miss them. Just check out their cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” and it’ll all make sense.

http://www.phrequency.com/blog/Robes_Continues_June_Residency__Silk_City.html
- Steve Ciccarelli for Phrequency.com


"Wrapped in Robes"

Thu, Nov. 13, 2008

Wrapped in Robes

Philadelphia has one of the most varied music scenes of any city in the U.S. Here you can find hardcore bands, hip-hop, singer/songwriters, metal, pop-punk, pop singers and anything in between. Robes is none of that. Robes is Philadelphia’s answer to Editors or Doves. They’ve got Synth textures like New Order and late period Joy Division, acoustic strums of My Bloody Valentine’s epic track from Loveless, “Sometimes,” melodies like the Beatles and the overall feeling of an indie band. Robes is a band to look out for.

Robes will be at the Manhattan Room on Thursday, November 20th with East Hundred, Do You Need The Service? and Jeremy Messersmith. The show is 21+ and is their only scheduled Philadelphia show. For $8, this is a steal. Check this band out before they’re all over MTV2 and on the soundtrack to an episode of a CW show. Nothing beats being able to say “I saw them when…” - philly.com


"Review of Robes w/Little Joy"

...By the time local openers Robes take the stage, the place is packed with rowdy, excited fans.

A spacey five-piece with video-game keyboards and driving beats, Robes deliver a solid performance, especially on tracks like “The Breaks”, a catchy, riff-driven number. Other numbers are lush, neo-psychedelic concoctions, such as the sprawling, layered “Nothing can save us.” Robes might be relative newcomers to the scene, but already they know how to work a crowd. - By Kate Bracaglia (Phrequency)


"Its cool, get your ROBES on"

Girl About Town’s band of the night, Robes racked up the vote count to take home the winning title in the first round of Battle Of The Blogs, last Thursday Night at Philly’s North Star Bar.
Riding an amazing buzz right now in the Philly scene, Robes sound is steeped heavily in the influence of early eighties bands like Joy Division, Depeche Mode and Bauhaus but without the cold harshness of other current bands mining the same genre, like Interpol or Bloc Party. Their current release, The Breaks EP, is available for free download from their myspace page and they’re heading into Miner Street studios with Philly’s resident production genius Brian McTear to record the followup.

http://bagofsongs.com/2009/05/29/its-cool-get-your-robes-on/
- Bag of Songs


"Ten Questions with Robes"

I first heard the Philly band Robes late last year when they opened for Little Joy at the Khyber, and I must say I was pretty impressed with their ’90s-Brit-pop-inspired psych-pop and electro-rock songs — in lesser hands, the clear nods to baggy Madchester, Ride (circa Going Blank Again)-style shoegazing and Oasis/Stone Roses stadium anthemry would have been annoying, but they managed to reshape those sounds into something distinctive and appealing. They’re playing the North Star tomorrow night as part of the Bag of Songs vs. The Broken Bell vs. Girl About Town “Battle of the Blogs,” which promises to be a great good time. We caught up with Robes singer Greg Nearhood and guitarist Ryan Shafer today and threw some questions their way:

What are you most looking forward to about tomorrow night’s show at the North Star?
Greg: Winning all the gold we know is hidden under the stage.

What goes through your mind the 10 minutes before you take the stage, and then the 10 minutes after you’re done playing?
Greg: 10 minutes before: “I need to finish this beer and get another.” Ten minutes after is a lot harder to say because it depends how it went, and sometimes it takes a day or two to figure that out.

Ryan: Before: “Do I have time to get another beer?” After: “I need another beer.”

What’s the weirdest or most interesting thing someone in the crowd has shouted at you during one of your sets?
Greg: “ONE MORE FOG” — one fog led to another and soon no one could see more than a foot in front of their face, and between songs you could hearing the sounds of people coughing as they slowly shuffled out of the room. We never should have let that guy control the fog machine.

Is it an enjoyable process being in the studio recording songs? Do you ever do any “rock moves” that you might do onstage when you’re recording, just to create a vibe?
Greg: Our recording process until recently has been a very laid-back, late-night thing me and Ryan would do in the basement of whatever house he was/is living in. There’s no better feeling than waking up in the morning with a few new songs we don’t remember writing. Now, being in a real studio is a totally different animal because we’ve invested a lot into this and have set high standards for ourselves and this recording, inevitably there’s a pressure that comes with that. Fortunately we’re working with a great producer we really respect, Brian McTear, and are really excited by the possibilities. We don’t usually work on moves — we just move.

Ryan: Being an aspiring producer/engineer myself I would obviously say yes, it’s a enjoyable process. At least most of the time. You may have a frustrating two hours trying to get the most tedious things done but it’s all worth it when you are sitting back and listening saying, “Holy shit, we made this. This is great.” And I’m sure the rock moves may creep out subconsciously here and there.

How has Philadelphia treated you? What are the pros and cons of being a band here?
Greg: Philly has been awesome. Tons of great venues, always awesome bands coming through that occasionally we get to play with. Hands down best food in America. Cons: Two drink tickets is just never enough. There are certain places it’s nearly impossible to get people to pay to go to.

Ryan: Philadelphia is a great place to be in a band. The location is perfect for networking to other major East Coast cities and there are a ton of great venues to play locally. However, I feel like the people in Philly tend to expect a lot out of you. If you put out a couple good new tracks and play a few shows around them, people will really start digging you for maybe two weeks tops. You need to keep things exciting and interesting to hold the attention, which can be tough when you’re also working — a.k.a. wasting time — a full-time job to pay the bills. Another con is that it’s also hard to break out of the 21 bar crowd, especially when you are 21.

What’s your favorite swear word?
Greg: We don’t cuss. We do lie.

Ryan: Chang Chang.

What’s the one question about you, your music, or your band that you wish fans would ask you after a show but don’t?
Greg: “Can we carry that for you? It looks heavy and sensitive souls like yourselves shouldn’t have to do this.” Also, “We’re having an afterparty. Would it be cool if I left my credit card at the bar and you guys could just help yourselves to whatever?”

What’s the one question about you, your music, or your band that you wish journalists would ask you during interviews but don’t?
Greg: “What is it that gets you up in the morning?”

Ryan: “Would you like to try answering that again?”

If you had a friend from out of town coming to Philadelphia and they only had one day to spend here, what would you recommend they do here?
Greg: This requires a list: Golden Empress, Devil’s Pond, Oscars Tavern, watch the World Fucking Champions at Citizens Bank Park, shoot BB guns off [bassist] J.J.’s roof, late night trip to the pretzel factory, fall off a bike and sleep on a floor only to be woken by a carbon monoxide detector. It would be a delicious, death defying day.

What’s the single greatest thing about being in this band?
Greg: Our hearing is all so damaged that we barely hear when dudes on the bus/subway listen to their ringtones like it’s an iPod.

Ryan: Socially it brings friends, new and old, together to engage in something that I love. Musically, as a band we all understand each other it’s kinda scary. And free drink tickets are always a plus.

















http://music.pwblogs.com/2009/05/20/ten-questions-with-robes/ - Philadelphia Weekly (Make Major Moves)


"Headlights Flicker but shine."

Philadelphia’s Robes opened, and–holy shit! This might be my favorite new local band. I was digging them back in November when they opened for Little Joy, and their debut EP, The Breaks, (available for free on the band’s Myspace) has been getting plenty of play in my iTunes. But live – oh my god!

Sprawling guitar pop, dramatic vocals, blistering, throbbing beats – the band sounded tighter than ever, as vocalist Greg Nearhood screeched his way through 7 or 8 searing electro-pop singles. You could feel the vibrations ricocheting off the walls and ceilings, creating a layer of sonic fuzz – it was awesome. I can’t wait until these guys release an LP!














http://www.phrequency.com/blog/Headlights_Flicker_but_Shine.html - Phrequency


"Slip into Robes"

by Michael Lello
Weekender Editor
Obviously, wearing a robe is comfortable. It’s fuzzy, loose, worn-in and cozy.

To an extent, the same can be said for Robes, a band that traffics in fuzzed-out, wall-of-sound sonics. Guitars, synthesizers and vocals build upon each other to form a lush bed of sound that recalls ’80s and ’90s British shoegaze bands as well as current electronica-influenced rock, like Editors or Interpol.

The band, originally from the Wilkes-Barre area, will make a homecoming this week with three area shows: on Friday at Caf? Metropolis and at the Corner Caf?, after the Love Lovely Dance Party, and on Sunday at the Mayday festival in Kirby Park.

Robes has been busy since moving to Philadelphia in 2007. Last year, it released its debut EP, “The Breaks,” which is available for free download at myspace.com/robesphiladelphia. “The Breaks” gained notice from Philadelphia Weekly and Philebrity.com. Robes also earned enviable slots opening for Little Joy, a Strokes side project, as well as The Von Bondies.

The band will have another six-song EP out by the end of June, says drummer Kevin “Mook” Dowell. Robes has been working at Miner Street studio in Philadelphia with producer Brian McTear (Matt Pond PA, The Capitol Years, Hail Social). Then the band will fly to California for a tour with The Picture, a Brooklyn band.

“It’s been going great,” says Dowell, calling between serving drinks at his bartending day job. “For the amount of work were putting into it, we couldn’t have been any luckier.”

Robes’ members, in their early 20s, sprung from the Wilkes-Barre hardcore scene. Bass player Josh Jenciewicz played in Cold World, guitarist Ryan Shafer sang with Soft Spite, and Robes singer Greg Nearhood sang for True Identity.

“We were progressing as musicians and kind of started to focus more on inventive, complicated music,” Dowell says. “Most of our songs are generally written by Ryan. Although we pretty much share the same interests in music, we all kind of have different things that really push us to write music. Early to late ’80s, early ’90s British rock scene and a lot of shoegaze, and with some of the dance-y electro sounds, New Wave, New Order-style, but also we incorporate a whole lot of American rock, some British rock and some new stuff we’ve been listening to.”

Dowell, who also plays with Southern rock/metal band Warhungry, adds that Robes has been given a residency at Silk City, a diner/venue in Philly’s Northern Liberties neighborhood. The band will perform every Tuesday in June along with bands and DJs from Wilkes-Barre locations The Bar and Corner Caf?, he says.

Dowell says Robes is looking to make the most of its time back home this week.

“Well, ya know we weren’t able to make it to the festival last year, but I mean our bassist basically lives across the street from Kirby Park, now we get to play on the lawn. So we’re expecting a big turnout. We haven’t had a lot of chances to get home because we’re playing shows on the weekends.”

http://www.theweekender.com/music/Slip_into_Robes_this_weekend_05-19-2009.html
- The Weekender


Discography

Nothing Can Save Us E.P. (2009 Self Released)

The Breaks E.P. (2008 Self Released)

Photos

Bio

Robes was formed in the final months of 2007 and quickly solidified themselves as one of the most exciting mainstays of the thriving Philadelphia music scene.

It started in late 2006, in a cold South Philadelphia home with no heat founding members, Ryan (Guitar) and Greg (Vocals), often found themselves wearing layers of clothing under bathrobes to stay warm. This was the case when they recorded their first demo's and jokingly referred to these tracks as "The Robes Sessions". The name went from tongue in cheek to reality when they were approached to play their first show. Aside from a name the band also needed members so the duo called upon the services of good friends Kevin (drums) and Josh (bass) to round out the lineup.

With influences ranging from the The Beatles to The Clash. Robes tend to blend their music with a meticulously focused delivery of Swirling Melodic Shoegaze (My Bloody Valentine/Ride) mixed in a Neo-Pyschedelia Twist (Stone Roses/Flaming Lips). Robes have created a sound all their own through the combination of howling guitar riffs, dramatic vocals and straight up good tunes. The result is a wall of sound that draws in listeners whether it be live or on recording.

In May of 2008 Robes self released their debut E.P. The Breaks which is currently available directly through the bands myspace page: www.myspace.com/robesphiladelphia. The release garnered rave reviews in several Philadelphia publications including Philadelphia Weekly which wrote, "With a cocky swagger and gritty cool, the boys rattle off dancefloor-fit guitar-pop slathered in a thick shoegaze-y haze, emerging like bastard children of Ride, the Strokes and Joy Division". The Philadelphia Inquirers' Philly.com called them "...Philadelphia's answer to Editors or Doves (and added) Check this band out before they're all over MTV2 and on the soundtrack to an episode of a CW show. Nothing beats being able to say "I saw them when…""

Robes spent the next several months headlining a tremendous amount of shows in Philadelphia in addition to opening for such acts as Strokes off-shoots Little Joy, Detroit legends The Von Bondies, Polyvinyl records The Love Language and Headlights and lended support to local heros Denali at their reunion show in June. They also played a huge Campus Philly Festival which averaged attendance over 10,000 and featured Armor for Sleep and The Cool Kids. The band rounded out the year embarking on a tour with Providence's MakeUpBreakUp (S.A.F. Records).

As of recent Robes have performed live on Philadelphia radio stations WXPN/YROCK and WKDU and have been enjoying regular rotation on each. Most exciting of all Robes have just completed a NEW E.P. of material with celebrated Philadelphia producer, Brian Mctear of Miner Street Studios. The band will be self releasing the e.p. in early August and are in the process of lining up a tour in support of the album for the fall. The new material shows an incredible progression for the young band while maintaining a sound that is distinctly their own.

www.robesmusic.com