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Shaky DeVille – Shaky DeVille (CD)
Posted by James on October 23rd, 2009
Shaky DeVille has a refreshing sound that uses styles that have been beaten down in the previous few decades (Irish punk, Rockabilly) and has tied them together in a new and fun arrangement. Nowhere is better to hear than during “M.V.T.”, a splashy, fast-paced track that still finds enough time to throw in a sizzling bit of guitar work. The act may seem a bit discombobulated at points, but there are always linkages – whether it be the charismatic vocals or the splashy drums – that provide some semblance of order to the disc.
“Let’s Roll” goes in two distinct directions; the guitars are much more gritty than they were in “M.V.T.”, but the vocals feel like some sort of hybrid between Brian Setzer, Roy Orbison, and Elvis himself. The lead guitars straddle the line between these two different styles, making for another spastic and catchy track. Aside from the skill that each member of Shaky DeVille brings to the table, I feel that anyone that likes music will appreciate this release due to the band’s unique sound. “It’s Hard” continues to rock the boat, throwing in a country twang to the mix. Like legends such as Mojo Nixon and Hank the III, Shaky DeVille is able to really thrive in this environment and create a track that can work both in the harder rock/punk genres as well as it would with those that prefer to wear ten-gallon hats and boots.
“Prayers” speeds things back up, but continues to keep the punk/rockabilly/country blend alive. The vocals go full-hog into the latter genre, but Shaky DeVille’s musical side further ups the ante by adopting hints of Dick Dale and the rest of the surf-rock genre. The eclecticism exhibited by Shaky DeVille allows for tracks like “Toronado!” to present on an album which also contains “M.V.T.”; the band seems to be having tons of fun while coming out with some of the best fusion that I have heard in recent times. Pick up this album, see Shaky DeVille live, and see why they are so freaking amazing
- NeuFutur Magazine
Album Details
Artist: Shaky Deville
Album: Shaky Deville
Label: Indie
Year of Release: 2009
ME Rating:
Reviewed by: Todd Levinson Frank on 2009-11-12
Viewed: 6 times
Shaky Deville is the kind of band you don't let play at your house party if you care about what happens to the fancy shit on your walls. Their latest CD cranks out a winning mix that combines early Kings Of Leon (when they were still channeling AC/DC through southern rock) the catchiness of The Hold Steady-meets-Pearl Jam. They go from punk all the way to ZZ Top-worthy barroom boogies all within this 7-track disc.
The vocals have a guttery swagger that sounds at home on top of the muscular drums and guitars. Nowadays there are so many genres and labels and sub-genres and buzzwords trying to pin down music as "emo" or "alternative" or "grind-core" or whatever they come up with next. But sometimes there's some rock music that can and should only be filed under "ass-kickin" and Shakey Deville certainly qualifies.
It's certainly not for the faint of heart, but not too raunchy for most average rock fans. The distinctive vocal stylings and solid musicianship are certainly memorable enough to overcome the occasional shortcomings in the songwriting. Not every album has to be Sgt. Pepper or Dark Side of the Moon. Sometimes it's enough to just have fun, turn it up, and rock out.
- Music Emissions
Discography
Shaky DeVille,self-titled
blAck mAriAh records 2009
Paddy,Red Sultan,Prayers, Alabama 10,It's Hard,Let's Roll are all songs streaming. And Alabama 10 and Paddy can be heard on the Local Buzz 102.9, Nashville
Photos
Bio
SHAKY DEVILLE
Biography
Named whimsically after the old ’76 Cadillac Coupe de Ville given to lead singer Matt (M.S.B.) DeVille’s by his dad—“the best car I ever owned”—the explosive, hard rocking Shaky DeVille has lived up to their name, shaking up their home base of Nashville and beyond since breaking onto the indie scene in 2006.
In ’08 alone, the power trio—whose recently streamlined lineup includes bassist Johnny Foodstamp and drummer Todd Slocum—did over 40 shows in Music City, jamming at hotspots like Exit/In (Nashville’s national venue), The End, Five Spot, Springwater and Foo Bar. Gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated self titled debut, Shaky Deville has expanded their gigging schedule throughout the East Coast (including stops in Asbury Park, Philly and Arlene’s Grocery in NYC). They’ve also toured throughout the Midwest, hitting Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois. The ironic part of their rise is that while their initial acclaim was centered in Tennessee where Matt and Johnny first hooked up, the three principals are actually East Coast born and raised musicians whose blue collar background fully infuses their exciting DIY work ethic.
The Boston born Matt was living in Florida, investing in real estate and “flipping houses” to fund his music career, when he came up with the vibe and the vision for Shaky DeVille. Excited about the material he had recently demo’d, he was planning to give it a go back home when a noted producer heard his material and convinced him that Nashville was the best place for him to launch from. He gathered some local musicians and began playing as Shaky DeVille. A popular local group called Wild Card Family Revival, which Matt describes as “bluegrass punk disco house” group, needed an opening act and liked the tracks he had put up on myspace. This marked the first live performance by Shaky DeVille with its original lineup.
Matt met Johnny, the bassist for Wild Card, at the gig, and soon the two formed Pie-Eyed Preachers, which played traditional Irish music as a tribute to their deep roots. As this band was becoming more popular, Shaky DeVille began playing shows throughout the Midwest and experienced some member turnover; in the end Johnny became its bass player and Todd, another East Coast transplant who lived down the road from Matt, took the drum chair. In addition to live performances, the band has been featured on the Nashville Sunday night radio show “Local Buzz.” Now they’re ready to take everything to the next level.
“For us, it’s all about hard work, writing and playing the best material and performing it with high energy that gets the fans going,” says Matt. “Coming from a large military family and having lived when I was younger in Ireland when the IRA was fighting, I bring some unique life experiences and a strong determination to my life as a songwriter and musician. So while we take our careers very seriously, we also want everyone to have a great time. When people listen to our CD, we don’t want them to be too deep in thought. We want them pumped up and then they can think about what I’m singing about afterwards.”
Some think that the rumbling, intensely percussive “M.V.T.” is an angry song because it talks about a couple arguing, but it was inspired by growing up among straight shooters who said it like it was, didn’t B.S. and had stronger relationships for it; Matt likes to call it “a love song about marriage and arguments that are a healthy part of it.” The fiery, almost punk-energized “Let’s Roll” and “You Had It Good” are sister songs inspired by his experiences growing up in a military family where freedom and patriotism had a meaning the average person reacting to reports in the mainstream media might not understand. “Charity” is balls-on rock that turns the tables on people who think they are God’s gift to the world, while the mid-tempo rocker “Tattoo Man” is about seeing the ghost of his father after he passed away in 1997.
“I think the thing I love the most about Shaky DeVille is the fact that the three of us all have different views and can express them freely,” says Matt, “and then we can come together to create incredible songs that get people going when we tear it up live onstage. We bring an edgy feel to any venue and the energy is unbelievably high octane. Live is where it’s at, the cat’s meow, no drink, no drugs, just a guitar and a song that moves one person, then gets everyone in the room in a frenzy as the music continues to pound. It’s like nothing else anyone can experience.”
EAST COAST BRED, NASHVILLE BASED ROCKERS
SHAKY DEVILLE BRING THE ENERGY OF THEIR
HIGH OCTANE SHOWS TO THEIR PROVOCATIVE
SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM
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