The Sweet Nuthin
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The Sweet Nuthin

Austin, Texas, United States | SELF

Austin, Texas, United States | SELF
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"The Sweet Nuthin"

One local band that reminds me of an Austin summer is the Sweet Nuthin'. Hot, sweaty, fun, loud, dirty, and gritty. At their raucous EP release show a number of weeks back, the band had fans jumping, dancing, and singing along with their Stones groove meets Strokes swagger tunes. This month the young quartet is hardly resting on their laurels as they have a residency at Cheer Up Charlie's, which sees them playing every Wednesday in June with a variety of special guests. You can't go wrong whichever Wednesday you choose, but my pick is for June 20 when they team up with Nic Armstrong.

The reason why is that the Sweet Nuthin' have been doing double duty by becoming the latest incarnation of Nic Armstrong and the Thieves. Let me share some personal history for a moment. I first met Nic Armstrong and the Thieves in 2005 when this band of Brits decided to call Austin home and I became an avid fan. As for the new version of the Thieves, I finally saw it during SXSW this year, and while it did bring back some fond memories of past shows, it also made me excited for the future between the Sweet Nuthin' and Nic Armstrong. It's pure, sweet rock n' roll that can persuade even a sometimes reluctant wallflower like myself to let loose and get my groove on. - Side One: Track One


"The Sweet Nuthin Debut EP"

Sometimes people surprise you. You think you know someone, but everyone’s got layers and sometimes those shine through. For example, I know Evan Charles, the lead singer for The Sweet Nuthin. I have seen this band live multiple times, I have their demos, and I have visited Evan at his place of employment, but nothing could prepare me for what I heard on The Sweet Nuthin EP when opening track “Play for Keeps” kicked into high gear. The song doesn’t wait long to unleash a brutal energy behind powerful drums and a ridiculously huge guitar riff. By the six-second mark, you know you’re in for a hell of a time. But when it gets to the chorus, and Charles unleashes the line, “Oh but honey you’ve gotta understand / Just ‘cuz I’m with you, that don’t mean I wanna be your man” it’s with a ferocity that is unimaginable emanating from his placid, friendly countenance.

Throughout this five-song EP the lyrics retain that classic rock generality, but Charles sells every last bit with his earnest and stylized delivery. And the band rocks out with unbridled passion even during the ballad, “Turn Me Out Again” (which is not employing the hip-hop definition of turning one out). The Sweet Nuthin are one of the hardest-working bands in Austin, playing a show just about every chance they get, and the resulting tightness is apparent on this recording. The band is locked in, and with the energy involved it’s somehow never sloppy. Part of that may be due to the excellence of the production, mixing and mastering on the record. I don’t know who did it, but they got very clear sound from all the instruments and were able to exceed the expectations I had for this project.

In fact, this is a great first release for The Sweet Nuthin. In my last review of the group, I compared them to the Faces and Free Energy, but each of those elements is dissipating from the picture as the band hones in on its own sound. On their Facebook page, they describe their genre as “Rock n’ Roll.” That’s it. No subgenres or microgenres, no qualifiers or modifiers. And that’s the essence of The Sweet Nuthin’s sound – straight, uncut rock n’ roll shot directly into your heart.

Catch the guys Saturday at their EP release party at the Swan Dive. The Sweet Nuthin go on at midnight after the Happen-Ins and the White White Lights. And if, for some reason, it’s more convenient for you to go to Lake Travis, they’ll be opening for Carolyn Wonderland Sunday at Uncle Billy’s Rooftop out at the lake. Like I said, busy guys.

- Carter - Ovrld


"Top 50 Songs Of Austin 2011 (20-11)"

19. ‘One More Way of Moving On’ - The Sweet Nuthin

Speaking of countrified music, “One More Way of Moving On” sounds like the rockin’-est moments of Johnny Cash’s catalogue. It’s the soundtrack to any of the drunken, questionable nights you likely had at some point in 2011. The Sweet Nuthin have made a classic song that chugs forward relentlessly with a rolling bass line and relentless drum beat. Singer Evan Charles sings the verses in a monotone that makes him almost sound bored – which is a great contrast to the rest of the music and which makes the melody of the chorus that much more powerful. When he sings “I don’t care what you say / as long as you ain’t sayin’ goodbye,” it’s with all the swagger of someone who secretly knows he’s doomed but can’t bring himself to admit it. And as it turns out, that’s just one of the ways to move on. - Ovrld


"The Time Is Right For The Sweet Nuthin"

A couple of months ago, the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame announced their fifteen nominees for induction this winter. I’m a bit of a RnRHoF buff so I follow these kinds of announcements closely and I was pleasantly surprised by the list of nominations, which I felt had a lot of solid, underrated bands on it with a few overdue no-brainers. One of those underrated bands was 70s bar band the Faces. “Bar band” might be a bit of a misnomer since it featured an already-famous Rod Stewart on lead vocals and the soon-to-be-Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, but listening to their music (especially the classic single “Stay With Me”) conjures up images of late, boozy nights with questionable characters. The guitars are dirty, the drums are pounding and you’re not quite sure what to make of any of the individuals involved. After their nomination, I revisited the Faces’ discography and my appreciation for 70s bar rock grew tremendously. And that’s why I have come to love the Sweet Nuthin’.

I don’t know if the Sweet Nuthin’ know the Faces or enjoy them – the band’s Facebook page lists Neil Young, Gram Parsons, the Velvet Underground and the Rolling Stones as influences. (The group’s “Hope This Feeling Turns,” especially, sounds right off of side 2 of Exile on Main Street.) Either way, though, they embody the essence of classic rock similarly to contemporary Philadelphia rockers Free Energy. This would be the favorite local band of the kids in Dazed and Confused if they grew up right now. And “One More Way of Moving On” is their current masterpiece. It’s got a churning rhythm section that recalls the dirtiest Johnny Cash songs, a chorus that can’t be contained in the space provided it, grungy guitars and a laid-back and drawling vocal delivery. It is the soundtrack to the late, boozy nights with questionable characters of the 21st century.

Fortunately for you, if you have any inclination to see the Sweet Nuthin’ play in person, this is the week for you. They are playing every night from now through Friday at different venues across town. Tonight, you can catch them at Stubb’s with He’s My Brother She’s My Sister. Tomorrow – Wednesday – they hit up Frank with The Beta Rhythm and Lola Cola (God, who are all these bands?!). Thursday night they’re slated for the Locals Showcase at the Beale Street Tavern on 6th Street (no cover!), and Friday they’ll be capping off the week with a headlining show at Skinny’s Ballroom. So take your pick! And bring your drinking face.

- Carter - Ovrld


Discography

The Sweet Nuthin (EP) - 2012

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Bio

The Sweet Nuthin was the outcome of a gig between two of Austin's most promising up-and-coming bands, The Steps and The Daze. Each digging by the other, they would play together many times over the next few years, leading the charge of bands trying to keep the youth dancing. Both earned opportunities that most other young bands could only dream of: after being picked up by Kevin Wommack's Loophole Management, The Steps toured the States,
England, and Japan, played the Austin City Limits music festival twice, and released a self-titled album produced by Frenchie Smith. The Daze were selected for the ?lm Bandslam, featured on its soundtrack alongside David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, and Wilco, and recorded their own debut LP Straightjacket Hymns under the guidance of two-time Austin Music Awards Producer of the Year Rick del Castillo.

When Evan Charles, guitarist and vocalist for The Daze, decided to start a new band the ?rst members were obvious choices. Chris Ritchie, a transplant from The Daze and a childhood friend would play bass. Z Lynch, drummer of The Steps, signed on immediately. Colin Peters was recruited after coming to Austin from NYC because real rock'n'roll bands have two guitars.

Primarily drawing inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, The Velvet Underground, Ryan Adams, and The Strokes, the band's motto from the beginning has been “Less is more.” Restraint in service of the song. The Sweet Nuthing have been gigging hard and building a following in Austin. They're now looking to the rest of Texas and will be getting on the road this summer.