The R's

so, i feel a bit foolish not knowing this until just recently, but apparently national geographic has a record label. as you can probably guess, it features world music (a label i dislike, because it pretty much is tacked onto any artist that isn't from the states, canada, or the UK and conjures up visions of tribal tunes or pan flutes) - but you may be surprised to find it isn't the kind of world music you may be expecting.

case in point, italy's indie pop the r's (or, the records).

unfortunately, a lot of people assume music from italy is the kind of stuff you'd find in an italian chain restaurant - some kind of love song ala lady and the tramp's shared spaghetti meal scene or dean martin warbling about pizza. having spent some time over there and discovering many music crushes along the way (i pathetically hunted, to no avail, for one italian rock song for a good year after my trip), i can safely assure you that, while you probably don't hear a lot of italian bands on the radio nowadays, there are a lot of great indie bands worth your listen.

the r's, a trio of guys from brescia and milano, have a really fun vibe to them. their songs come across as a mosaic of surf rock, 50's & 60's guitar lines, pop and a smidge of ska.

de fauna et flora, the album i love my family is off of, will be released later this year. go HERE to visit their national geographic music page. then head over to their facebook page to learn more about the band. - Have You Met Heather?

Italian indie pop trio The R’s was formed in 2002 and have released a series of self-produced recordings that helped build a cult following. In 2007 they won a music contest sponsored by Italy’s most widely read newspaper and released their first official EP, Joyful Celebration. The record contained the single “Move Your Little Fingers,” picked up by the most prominent national radio stations.

In 2008 The R’s released the album Money’s On Fire with the collaboration of the venerated musician producer Giovanni Ferrario. With one of the tracks from the album featured on a major national advertising campaign and prominent exposure on MTV Italy the band began reaching a wide audience. By the end of the year they were on best-of lists of the most important newspapers and music publications in Italy.

The R’s music crosses genres and eras with hints of the early days of rock - from the 1950’s to garage rock – alongside indie pop and psychedelic folk.

In 2011 The R’s signed with Nat Geo Music, the record label of the National Geographic Society that specializes in contemporary intern The R’s are preparing to make their U.S. debut in the late spring, along with the release of their latest album De Flora Et Fauna. - UNTYTELD

When it comes to hotbeds for indie music culture, Italy probably isn’t the first place that comes to peoples’ minds. But with all three of The R’s members originating from Brescia, Italy, that reputation is about to change.

Their sound is an encapsulation of time. Rock and folk influences from the 1950s up to the present day can be found in The R’s addictive indie tracks. From the a-side of one of two soon-to-be-released 7-inch records, “Easy Way Out” is an upbeat blend of ’70's FM radio and contemporary folk. Flip over to the b-side and you’ll find a modern indie-pop vibe infested with catchy hints of reverb-coated 1960s surf rock. The band lands in New York City on June 13 for a series of NYC gigs including one at Bruar Falls in Brooklyn on June 14th and another at Pianos in Manhattan on June 16th.

And the appeal is obvious. The R’s won a music contest sponsored by Italy’s most widely read newspaper back in 2007 and released their first EP. Since then, the Italian band have released the album Money’s On Fire, collaborating with producer Giovanni Ferrario (P.J. Harvey), and gained a large following in their home country after being featured on a major national advertising campaign and receiving exposure on MTV Italy.

The subsequent 7-inch that they will be releasing features the expertly-crafted track “I Love My Family.” Its bright chord progression jumps with each staccato strum and is accompanied by a hopping and syncopated percussive rhythm. There are trails of Elvis Presley in the articulation of Pierluigi Ballarin’s lead vocal lines, and the track is soaked in punk rock inspiration. The video for “I Love My Family” has also recently been released. Check it out here.

The R’s are now signed to Nat Geo Music, the record label of the National Geographic Society, and are preparing to make their U.S. debut in the late Spring with the release of their latest album De Flora Et Fauna. - NeuFutur Magazine

When it comes to hotbeds for indie music culture, Italy probably isn’t the first place that comes to peoples’ minds. But with all three of The R’s members originating from Brescia, Italy, that reputation is about to change. Their sound is an encapsulation of time. Rock and folk influences from the 1950s up to the present day can be found in The R’s addictive indie tracks. From the a-side of one of two soon-to-be-released 7-inch records, “Easy Way Out” is an upbeat blend of ’70's FM radio and contemporary folk. Flip over to the b-side and you’ll find a modern indie-pop vibe infested with catchy hints of reverb-coated 1960s surf rock. You can check the band our for yourself with a free download of their single, “I Love My Family” and the accompanying video that, honestly, is probably one of the coolest music videos we’ve seen in a while. Just sayin’. - Reviewsic

Italian band, The R’s (formerly known as The Records), are no strangers to the fast pace of the music business. The R's formed in 2002 and quickly attracted a cult following with the release of a series of self-produced songs. The R’s would get their biggest break, however, in 2007 when they became the winners of a music contest sponsored by Italy’s most widely read newspaper, followed by the release of their first E.P. titled, Joyful Celebration, producing a single that would gain air play on Italy’s most prominent radio stations. The following year, the band teamed up with producer Giovanni Ferrario, to put together Money’s On Fire, an album that would not only produce a wider audience for The R’s, but would put them on many important “best of” lists throughout Italy. The R’s produce music that crosses all kinds of thresholds in music including many genres and eras, and still manage to fill every crevice in between with their own style.

The R’s have led themselves to yet another critical milestone in their career as a band. The band has signed with National Geographic Music, which is the label of the National Geographic Society, and will be preparing to make their debut in the United States as they release their upcoming album, De Flora Et Flauna. The R’s will make their U.S. debut by playing shows in New York on June 14 in Brooklyn at Bruar Falls and Thursday, June 16 at Pianos in NYC. Check out the newest track and video from The R’s called, “I Love My Family”. - Red River Noise music blogazine

Brescia, Italy. Not the first place that comes to mind when you think about fresh indie-pop with ska beats and surf rock vibes but The R’s and their upcoming U.S. album debut De Flora Et Fauna are working to change all that. With impossibly catchy hooks and a raucous, party atmosphere throughout; this energetic trio has released a video for I Love My Family, a featured single on which their modern, buoyant sound and cheeky sense of humor shine brightly. Signed to Nat Geo Music, the label of the National Geographical Society, it’s obvious these Italians have a universal appeal. Lead singer Pierluigi Ballarin’s hiccuppy, yawlping vocals are marinated in a 50’s Elvis Presley/Jerry Lee Lewis rock n’ roll brine which no doubt has helped garner the band a large following and plenty of play on MTV Italy with songs off their previous album Money’s On Fire produced by Giovanni Ferrario (P.J. Harvey). Currently set to charm the pants off Americans, as Italians often do, The R’s are landing stateside June 13th to do a couple of shows in Brooklyn and Manhattan and from there…world domination? Possibly. The R’s certainly have the goods and the chutzpah to give it a shot. - My Old Kentucky Blog

Come out to Brooklyn tonight to see the Italian indie rockers The R’s perform live at Bruar Falls. They’ve just signed to National Geographic’s record label and have put out two 7” that sounds like an upbeat blend of ’70's FM radio and contemporary folk modern indie-pop vibe mixed with catchy hints of reverb-coated 1960s surf rock. This not a show to miss! - LivingFreeNYC

The Italians aren’t leaving Little Italy, they’re just arriving. On June 14th and June 16th the Italian Indie-Rock trio, The R’s, will be performing in NYC. On June 14th they will be livening up Williamsburg at Bruar Falls. On June 16th the trio will be making their way into Manhattan to play at Pianos. Recently signed to the National Geographic label, The R’s are a blend of 1960’s surf rock, modern indie-pop, contemporary folk, mixed into 1970’s FM radio. Catch a sneak peek of The R’s single ‘I Love My Family’ after venue details below. - Yeah New York