The Bells

Outstanding clean sound with great melodies, riffs, vocals. The subtle backing sounds creates an excellent production value and shows that no detail was left un-noticed. Songwriting qualities and construction of songs are right on target. Excellent job!
Bert Gagnon
Neon Productions
Neon Productions Radio
Musictogousa.com
The Songwriter's Network
MusicXtreme
Kickback Radio - Bert Gagnon

Excellent tight adult rock sound with strong vocals and tasteful production. Fans of Sheryl Crow will enjoy your music. Our favorite song is ''If we had yesterday.'' - Radio Indy

Published July 31, 2006
New York's posh music scene has seen many diverse changes over the years. From the counterbalance of the Strokes and Futureheads to the more whimsical sounds of the Verve. Caught in the middle of the genre are bands like The Ruling Party. Jen Sencion and her swooning voice elevates this multi dimensional group beyond just another East coast faction. Ron Haney and Jared Jacobs on the guitar and keyboards respectively have a sound that not only play off one another with key licks and fresh hooks but help push the bands sound beyond another copycat effort. And with Mark Robohm's heavy drum talent backed by Steve Mostyn on bass, The Ruling Party are shaping up to become more than just a indie flash. We were fortunate enough to speak with them just subsequent to their taping on New York's Fearless Music show.

Pensatos.com: How did Fearless Music session go?
Jen: Awesome. Jamie Lamm runs a super tight and professional outfit there so things went smoothly. Had some monitor quirks during the actual takes so I can only hope we were all in key…
Steve: I think it went pretty well too. It’s a good indication of us I reckon. We filmed 4 songs so they will be showing them over the next season beginning October. (Saturday nights, 1am. Check out fearlessmusic.tv for local station listings.)

"After I learned a few chords I understood that I could play any Sex Pistols song. That led to the best campfire sing-a-longs ever."

Pensatos.com: Great plug. Jen: Your voice and sound mimics another up and coming act; Maura Davis of Ambulette. Was rock always your first choice, as your voice also contains a strong jazz tone that can easily overshadow the supporting cast of the group? What was your vocal background before the group was formed?
Jen: I’ve always loved rock music – but was always really just a fan of good music – any kind. My brother was a DJ and would spin everything from The Smiths and the Cure to a Tribe Called Quest and KRS1 – and everything in between. He’d let his kid sister hang out in the basement with him while he’d work out his set, then I’d go up to my room and listen to Carol King and whatever else my sisters were listening to – being the youngest of five had its advantages as far as being exposed to different kinds of music. Later when I was in college, a friend of mine started teaching me guitar – and the first thing I learned to play was 12 bar blues. We’d sit around and listen to jazz and blues and jam. It was my first real immersion in any one kind of music. So you can say that I went through an intense jazz phase for a while and became an avid listener of various vocalists and instrumentalists – I also got really interested in improvisation. While I was into that I also sang in NYU’s gospel choir and took a stab at writing my own songs. It wasn’t until we started the band that I felt my ideas really begin to take shape and come alive. When you’ve got four of the best musicians in town creating these songs with you, you can’t go wrong! It’s a great feeling.

Pensatos.com: Steve: Your background is very diverse in comparison to Ruling Party – from hip hop acts like Missy Elliot to more pop R&B like Alicia Keys. Before you helped form Ruling Party, what did you take from your experiences with these and many other acts to help keep the group grounded and moving forward?
Steve: Well working with people like Alicia has definitely re-enforced the fact that great songwriting will always prevail. And the simpler the better!! When it comes down to it styles of music are just that but I believe great songs will always cross style barriers. Our online (and offline) fan base is one big melting pot and that’s the way we like it!We have teen girls that are into Panic! At the Disco and such telling us they love us and they’re putting our song on their MySpace profile alongside a hard hip hop guy who will also write us saying he loves our tunes. Also, working with those artists has also taught me practice makes perfect but practice and rehearsing for 10 hours a day makes it unforgettable! Smart work and tenacity always pays off.

Pensatos.com: Ron: How do you divide your time with The Churchills and Ruling Party?
Ron: It’s a bit of a balancing act but we all work around our other projects. That’s been the nature of the beast so far. I like being creatively busy and both bands certainly require lots of attention. The Ruling Party feels like the new girlfriend I’m seeing and I go home to my wife (The Churchills) at night.

Pensatos.com: How did everyone get started in the music arts? First instrument?
Jen: I started singing/dancing/acting in a community theatre group when I was 6 years old. Always loved singing… Piano briefly when I was 9 yrs. old – really started learning guitar in college.
Ron: I was trying to figure out Sweet riffs on a Sears guitar my neighbor owned. The guitar seemed like the most romantic instrument to me. After I learned a few chords I understood that I could play any Sex Pistols song. That led to the best campfire sing-a-longs ever. I just stayed with it and started trying to play like Johnny Marr. You develop a style based on the route you take to being a player.
Mark: I have played the drums since I was in 4th grade. I thought I wanted to play the saxophone. When the band instructor was asking who wanted to play which instrument in my little public school, the kid in front of me who I didn’t care for , Patrick – and his mullet – raised his hand so I gave up the sax real quick. The next instrument up for grabs was the drums.
Jared: I started playing piano at 4, father is a jazz vibraphonist. I grew up around music everyday. Messed around with bass, trumpet & viola, but nothing stuck like piano.
Steve: I started playing music when I was 2 on some rubber band powered organ that santa bought me! Piano lessons at age 7 with a sadistic Nun! It was when I was 9 and seeing a teacher of mine whip out a Gibson SG copy and start rockin out on it that knew what I wanted to do. At age 12 I was forced onto bass by my music teacher. My mate, the guitarist, was a better player for our band, “Funkarella” ( a progressive, instrumental rock band). Glad he did it.

"I started playing music when I was 2 on some rubber band powered organ that santa bought me."

Pensatos.com: Where did everyone grow up? Childhood mentors that lead you to where you are today?
Jen: Bronx, NY. Childhood mentors? My parents – they really sacrificed everything for my brother & sisters and I. They wanted us to have opportunities they didn’t. My dad had an old acoustic guitar sitting around the house he would strum – never really knew how to play it, but he’d try and he’d write poetry and letters. My mom would read to me and cook awesome brain food dinners for us! They were obsessed with all 5 of us getting the best education we could get and it made all the difference for us.
Ron: I grew up in the swamps of New Jersey and under the enormous shadow of a generation influenced by Springsteen and Bon Jovi.. I guess you could say I wanted to be the opposite of that end of the musical spectrum. There was a hugely influential indie radio station called WHTG that spawned the likes of Matt Pinfield and I was enamored with the music I heard coming out of there. I would say that the radio station motivated me to pursue music.
Jared: Everybody SAYS they listen to all kinds of music, but I REALLY do. Love almost anything. I'm a big fan of Bob Marley, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Tito Puente, Billy Holiday, Mozart, A Tribe Called Quest, Jill Scott, Audioslave ... The list goes on.
Mark: Until I was about 4, I grew up in Aalsmeer, Netherlands. There is a tape of me speaking Dutch that I can’t understand. Weird. After that, mostly Vermont and then New York City.
Steve: I grew up in Sydney, Australia. In the beginning it was KISS. No one else could get the credit for influencing me to get into the rock’n’roll biz like them!!Later on I was definitely more influenced by the British side of things though. (The Jam, The Cure, The Who, The Beatles, Specials, Smiths etc).( And U2 of course) However being a bassist made me search out the best bassists around. I was introduced to the sounds of Larry Graham (sly stone and graham central station) WOW! I was funk hooked and it has definitely helped me in my later career here in the states. Blending the simplicity and melody of rock with the groove and pocket of funk. One other childhood mentor is my old teacher Darryl Chute. (the one who forced me on bass)

Pensatos.com: Mark: Steve calls you the most musical drummer he knows. I mean, you beat out Jeff Salisbury as drummer of the year who has played with some greats like Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry and is a prominent figure in the percussion community. But you also worked with some groups who have moved on and caught some bigger breaks – like recently the Mosquitoes who were featured on The O.C. What do you see as a turning point for Ruling Party to move out of the local venues and into the below-radar indie scene and beyond?
Mark: Flattering! I would very much label two of my favorite drummers the same way: Brian Blade and Steve Gadd. With drumming, you are not bothered by chords and keys when playing a song but it is important to remember that you should be bothered by all of your limbs playing a way so as to not fill too much space. Anyway, I feel the turning point for The Ruling Party will be honesty. We are all seasoned musicians who are not bitter (rare!) and care both about the music and the songs we are writing. In an industry undergoing its’ own puberty or “turning points” we offer solid songs without selling out to the pop-music songwriting equation. And we can play them live. People are attracted to honesty in music and the industry will hopefully follow suit.

Pensatos.com: Are you going back and/or currently in the studio? Next project?
Jen: Still writing and about to go in and record a couple of new songs – we’re totally psyched.
Ron: We will be recording more songs in the near future. The process of putting together the songs on our EP was a very collaborative one. It’s fun to be around such great musicians.
Mark: Always. Writing songs.
Steve: We have come up with some really nice new songs. I think people will really be into it. Recording with some other producers in a few different studios. Hope to have it all finished by October then start shopping!!

Pensatos.com: What is the hardest/most frustrating aspect of being an unsigned act?
Jen: Doing everything. Promotion, bookings, designing, writing, rehearsing, scheduling, getting the word out there, etc – the list goes on. If we could all just clone ourselves we’d be fine!
Mark: Carrying your own gear every night, all the time. The gear can get heavy after 25 years of carrying it.
Jared: I've backed up many of the biggest names in Hip-Hop & R&B...currently I've been practically living in the studio with G-Unit Records (50 Cent Label), but the Ruling Party is the first band I could call my own. Being used to all the amenities of major labels and major artist makes this different, but the most fun I've ever had with a band.
Steve: Well I definitely miss my guitar tech! (Hey Eli!) It’s a lot of work. Just like any small business it’s frustrating to not have the marketing power etc. Websites like MySpace are obviously a big help for bands like us, but you still have to get out and play. That’s where a label/ promo company would make things easier for us. (And we are looking/shopping!)

"I grew up in the swamps of New Jersey and under the enormous shadow of a generation influenced by Springsteen and Bon Jovi... I guess you could say I wanted to be the opposite of that end of the musical spectrum."

Pensatos.com: What current music act would you be most honored to share a ticket with?
Jen: U2 – Coldplay - dream ticket…
Mark: Donnie Hathaway live at the Bitter End in 1972.
Jared:I would love for us to share stage with Sting, or even Lenny Kravitz.
Steve: I'd love to be out with U2 also. Paul McCartney and if The Smiths ever reformed I’d pay to be there.

Pensatos.com: Any debacles while on the road; stories of breakdowns, personal breakdowns, etc?
Mark: Oh yes.
Steve: After a few gigs on the road, we were loading into a club only to find about 1/2 of the female staff was walking around, well, naked surrounded by an above average sized staff of bouncers. After sound check, we went downstairs to the bar for a drink and the bartender was shadowed by about a dozen gogo girls. A Guns n' Roses video it was not, but a surprised band it was - seems as though we were playing in a club/stripclub. Although not the nicest, um, venue we have ever played in, there have been worse gigs.

Pensatos.com: What is the best aspect of your live act?
Jen: We’ve got a great energy on stage that people seem to really engage in. Other than that, I think the fact that the live version of our songs actually sound like our recordings. People fall in love with recordings and don’t want to be let down when they hear them live – we won’t let anyone down…if anything sometimes they come off better.
Steve: It’s musically intense. You really believe us because we’re telling the truth. We’re not trying to play or sound like someone else. It’s not an act. Yet because of that it’s very entertaining. - Pensatos.com. By Sean Kendall

..there's an absence of desperation in the voice that is real nice to hear..would be interested to see/hear these songs live...and to whoever sent niceties my way, thank you very much..mike - Mike Bloom (Guitar/Songwriter/Vocalist-Rilo Kiley, The Elected)

Artist Spotlight
By: Darren Tierney

The Ruling Party was formed in 2004 when singer Jen Sencion from New York City got together with bass player Steve Mostyn. They have since put out a five song EP of honest, simple alternative/indie rock songs. Although the songs are simple, they express emotion in a deeply profound way. There is only one thing to dislike about this band: the pretentious band photos. The photos are of the members wearing nice suits and hip sunglasses looking far too stylish. Their artificial style in these photos does not reflect the sincerity of their music. Other than the photos, this Ruling Party is flawless.

The Ruling Party is similar to Rainer Maria, another female fronted indie rock band from New York City. The Ruling Party is a little softer than Rainer Maria. At times, they are more complex than Rainer Maria, probably because they are a five-piece group while Rainer Maria is a three-piece. Their basic sound can probably be more accurately compared to their basic influences: The Beatles. The song progression is reminiscent of The Beatles later work. However, the Ruling Party’s songs are packed with even deeper emotion that can only be expressed by a gifted female vocalist.

The gentleness of Jen Sencion’s angelic voice gives the music a truly unique sound. The synthesizer and keyboards give The Ruling Party somewhat of a new wave feel. This is especially true on the upbeat “Nightmares.” “If We Had Yesterday” sounds a lot like The Beatles. Not surprisingly, it sounds like “Yesterday.” Unlike “Yesterday,” the synthesizer and guitar play off each other, subtly varying between lead and rhythm. The lead vocals and the harmonies are produced perfectly.

The lyrics are one of the best aspects to The Ruling Party. Jen Sencion’s words tend to avoid using poetic devices such as metaphor. This is surprising, but is definitely not a fault. The bluntness and directness of her words enhance the sincerity of the song. This is especially true on “Now You Know.” It is a simple and hopeless love song about still being in love with someone after the relationship has ended. The bluntness of the lyrics will very likely make the song easy for the listener to identify with. During the chorus she sings, “I still want you and I still need you that I still love you and I wanted you to know right now.” You can’t get anymore blatant than that, but it enhances the sincerity of the song—so much so that it is hard to listen to it and not feel something like what Jen Sencion was probably feeling when she wrote the song.

I write some reviews for bands I really don’t like and try to write about the good aspects of their music. In this case, I didn’t have to stretch to find anything good because the music already is good. The Ruling Party’s music is sincere, and so is this review...
- Northeast Intune Magazine

Artist: The Ruling Party

Album: Self-Titled

Score: 5.0

After listening to the first five tracks on The Ruling Party' CD, I was thinking, "Ok, this is good stuff," then track six came on and that's when I was hooked. The track Falling Down sealed the deal for me. The entire CD is done exceptionally well, but this track is brilliant! It has a hook that you can't forget; the lyrics bring images of broken relationship, something that we've all experienced, immediately to mind. Once the sond ended, It was replayed 5 times back to back.All I can say is, "Guys, you need to get this song to radio"!

Production 5.0

Lyrics 5.0

Music 5.0

Vocals 5.0

Musicianship 5.0
- Unsigned Music Magazine

Sunday, March 18, 2007
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Album - Eponymous - The Ruling Party

* Band / Artist : The Ruling Party - mySpace

* Genre : Rock / Pop

* Sample Track Download : Nothing Wrong

* Buy CD : N/A

* Buy Digital Download : mySpace

* Rating : 9 out of 10

I love it when I come across a new band and their album just blows me away. So was the case with The Ruling Party. I'd heard a few of their tracks and liked them immensely, but many times it's the case that 25% of an album is the real cream and the rest is a mix of really good and OK. This is not the case with this 9 track album.

The album opens with the incredibly catchy "No Place to Hide" and it's hard not to compare the overall sound to the 1990's band No Doubt. For me though, No Doubt were very much a one trick pony, with their breakout hit, "Don't Speak" spending 16 weeks at number 1, on the Bill Board hot 100. Of all the 9 tracks on this album, there is not a single dud, it's 100% well crafted pop. "Can I Be" is a slower track compared to the opener, but it has that really well crafted feel to it. "Nothing Wrong" is again another slower track, which rolls and lilts, showcasing the lead singer, Jen Sencion's voice. "If We Had Yesterday" reminds me of a totally different artist, Dido, quite a leap from No Doubt, but the lyrical phrasing is very similar. "Every Time You Walk Away" is in a very similar vein to the opening track and is definitely the overall sound the band seems at their most comfortable.

Maybe I'm hearing things, but "Nightmares" seems to have a sound byte from The Six Million Dollar Man, It's just a brief 2 second or so segment, but it's definitely there. "Don't Make Me" has a very Police / Elvis Costello (80's era) feel to it and just goes to show this bands versatility. "Falling Down" again shows a different side to the band and is probably the weakest track for me on the album, but again a weak track on this album, is still a very good track. "Now You Know" finishes what is best described as a wonderfully well rounded and accomplished album.

The only downside I had with the album, is the production. There is something very lo-fi about some of the tracks, which shouldn't be the case with an album of this kind. I just feel that a fuller production would only go to make it an even more killer album.

Conclusion : This is an album I thoroughly enjoyed. A very radio friendly band, that is surely just inches away from exploding in to mainstream recognition. - indielaunchpad.com