The Vertical Gin Line
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The Vertical Gin Line

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Band Alternative Rock

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Press


"The Vertical Gin Line: Repressed Hero Issues by Barbara Fara"

So why did I put up with four wise-ass interviews from four fellow wise-ass New Yorkers? Why did I choose to give them four separate pages so you could look at each one as an individual? -Was it because they are ALTERNATIVE? (Recently somebody suggested I get more ALTERNATIVE bands into the magazine. Can you get much more alternative than Six Feet Under?) No. Was it because they are from New York and I have seen absolutely no press on them anywhere? That's part of it. -My assistant and I both cruise around the net looking for the best shit that our readers never hear, because that is a HUGE part of why MusicIncider was born. It doesn't matter what fucking genre the band is. The excellence and craft that goes into the music is all that matters. In other words, does it fucking rock?
-In case we forget, the closest genre to describing TVGL is alternative indie-rock. Jesus fucking Christ, I hate the word EMO but it qualifies. Think Cursive. Think Tool. Think Incubus. Think REM-then think about a blender. -When I first hit the site, I was blown away by the song No Fly Zone. Smart lyrics, great musicians, great singer. That was enough for me to give my assistant the go ahead and we contacted these boys. -I received my copy of Repressed Hero Issues, bear in mind that this is the CD that is on their site for six bucks. -The production of the CD is immaculate. It is definitely high quality studio stuff and doesn't sound a thing like some of the shit I get that is mixed in people's basements. -The cover art is understated a little-but goes along with the album concept. It is a guy on a tricycle...Repressed Hero Issues. So the band leads us to water with the cover, at least they don't beat our heads in with a baseball bat...lol. -The singer, Matt, is something special. He has a voice that at times reminds me of Eddie Vedder, at other times he reminds me of Perry Ferrell, and at other times he reminds me of Raymond Watts from Pig. His singing style feels like it is deeply rooted in German industrial music, and I love that. There is not one track on this CD that fails to showcase his singing. He is REALLY fucking talented. -Todd Hovanec on guitar has a hark rock style for an alternative band. More solos Todd. I want to see you show off and cut loose, because I can feel that power in your playing just beneath the surface. It is the guitar playing that gives this band's sound an edge. More riffs from Todd please. That is a request. Todd would make Joe Perry proud. -Tom Clancy Jr. on drums is a crazy fucking mick that does indeed remind me of Charlie Benate. I recently saw Charlie with Anthrax in Atlanta, closed my eyes once-and Tom Clancy Jr. came to mind. He fucking rocks, and he has a warped sense of humor that I really fucking love for the most part. -Recently, TVGL has switched bass players. The bass playing on Repressed Hero Issues is jazzy and bluesy and gives TVGL its rock and roll roots....enough said. -Great tracks on this album to me are Channel 35, Calamity Jane, and No Fly Zone. -I give Repressed Hero Issues an eight out of a possible ten OH FUCK YEAH's-which is excellent for an unsigned band. I honestly feel that the bands integrity and excellent musicianship will make The Vertical Gin Line will make them monsters of the underground and give them a huge cult following. As a result, Tom Clancy Jr. will probably start a church of some kind for drummers and instruct them all on the fine art of administering Kool-Aid to large groups of people...lol. -Seriously, check these guys out. They are something and they are going somewhere.

Link to review: http://musicincider.com/index2.php?action=cdreview&sub=article&id=304 - Music Incider


Discography

The Post K0kk Era EP, 2003.
Repressed Hero Issues, 2004.

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

The Vertical Gin Line
Official site: www.tvgl.com
Influences include Bob Dylan, Philip Glass, QOTSA, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Tool, The Mars Volta, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Buckley.

The Vertical Gin Line (TVGL) is the brainchild of Todd Hovanec and Matt Moscardi. Todd, the sometimes eccentric, always ambient guitarist for TVGL has roots in neo-classical, jazz and hard rock, emulating artists from Philip Glass to Queens of the Stone Age in previous band incantations. Matt, the strong-arming egocentric singer/songwriter, developed a style fusing roots rock and art-electronica in his early bands. When the two met in the fall of 2003 and formed TVGL, the music ran the gamut.

While most bands claim to be "the next big thing," TVGL makes no such boast. Instead, TVGL makes their esoteric roots accessible to the masses without losing the edge and swagger that makes rock music important. Live, this band generates something unique, possessing a stage presence and musical prescience that makes converts of audiences in every venue they play.

Hopefully, that next convert might be you.