Typical Ace

Hanging out with Bellingham band Typical Ace is a little like going to a family gathering and finding some second cousins you actually click with. They look familiar, they laugh at your jokes and they seem like they'd be down for sneaking off to egg your crotchety aunt's car while everyone else was hovered around the barbeque. The mischievous family vibe radiating from Typical Ace could be attributed to the fact that two of the band's members, Derek and Bo, actually are cousins, although they didn't always get along.

"We actually didn't like each other that much at first," said Derek with a chuckle. "It wasn't until later when we started playing music that we started to get along."

Derek and Bo played in bands off and on for the better part of a decade, eventually starting up a band they coined Typical Ace with Derek on guitar and vocals and Bo on guitar. A few line-up changes later on resulted in Andrea on bass and Tyler as the band's drummer and final piece of the puzzle.

"After we added Tyler into the mix from that point on it was a just huge difference. The energy really went through the roof, Tyler hits about three times harder than Mike did," Derek said. "I used to listen to Danzig a ton and my vocal style was always influenced by him but when Tyler started playing in the band I started to really push my vocals and with that came more energy."

With each member coming from various musical backgrounds, Typical Ace initially had a somewhat difficult time defining their sound.

"At first we weren't sure what we were going to do sound-wise, we had some more rocking songs, some punk, almost emo songs and some slow songs. The older stuff sounded like it was going in different directions. When we started working on the new music it began to fit together more," said Bo.

Citing metal, pop and punk influences, Typical Ace is currently turning out songs that may be tough to categorize, but are executed with an inarguably good musical ear.

"One of the descriptions of our music that sticks out in my mind is Jimmy Eat World being bitch-slapped by Metallica," said Andrea. "I think they were trying to say that our music is poppy, yet heavy."

The band recently recorded and released their first EP entitled Where Did All the Angels Come From?, a solid example of Typical Ace's patchwork style of blending elements of different types of music into fluid, but unexpected song arrangements.

"There's a lot of stuff going on in our music but it flows together pretty well, I like to throw in things in my songwriting that make people go 'what the hell?'" said Derek.

The band threw a CD release party for the album in late November at the University's multipurpose room to a large crowd and was overwhelmed by the positive response.

"We had so much fun, I rigged up silly string to my guitar and sprayed it on the crowd," said Bo. "We take ourselves seriously but we're definitely not totally serious."

The statement might have seemed contradictory coming from someone else, but after talking with Typical Ace for a while it made sense. After all, the band has built their sound brick by brick using contradicting musical elements and unexpected combinations, ultimately creating a sound that is completely their own. It's a daring way to write music, but to quote Joe Pesci's character from the movie Casino, "That's just typical Ace."
- What's Up! Magazine

“Typical? No. It’s what Rickard, a WWU graduate student, and guitarist cousin Bo Stewart have strived for during more than a decade of playing together. They learned music in tandem in their native Spokane---Stewart starting lessons at age 12 and passing on knowledge of chords, scales and whatnot to Rickard, two years older…Rickard---a competent vocalist along the lines of Jawbox’s J. Robbins or the Smoking Popes’ Josh Caterer, though perhaps not “American Idol” material…Things took a turn for the organized this past fall when Rickard and Stewart replaced their rhythm section with two more vital cogs: drummer Tyler Cooper and bassist Andrea Zacharia…It’s more energetic, too. And it has paid off, with Typical Ace having played a slew of shows the past few weeks. Not long ago, it fit four performances and a two-day recording session into a seven-day hole…” - Bellingham Herald

“…The night opened with local rock band Typical Ace. The band was able to overcome some early technical difficulties to pull off an inspiring set of epic and dramatic songs. Typical Ace's influences include -- but are not limited to -- Hot Water Music, The Misfits, Death On Wednesday and Jimmy Eat World, drummer Tyler Cooper said. Typical Ace played two new songs that continue to push the band's songwriting envelope. Harmonized guitar leads and intricate bass lines led to a few double takes among crowd members…”
- The Western Front

“So, before I heard the debut EP from these Bellingham rockers, I was already keeping a plus/minus tally. The name drew neutral; “Typical Ace” sounds fine and could be anything. When I heard them recommended as “for fans of Hot Water Music and Jimmy Eat World” there were a couple of points docked, because the only band of that ilk that I find still does much for me is Alkaline Trio, and they’re very much an exception to the rule. Furthermore, I have a natural, (admittedly a bit unfair) bias against local bands who seem to be copping onto a national trend. Another point was docked for the EP’s title Where Did All the Angels Come From?

Things were looking bad for our friends in Typical Ace, until 1. I saw they had a song called “Mostly Armless” (I’m a sucker for a bad pun), and 2. I actually put the CD in the player.

The EP kicks off with “Anything for a Smile,” and a catchy guitar hook that sticks in your head and to your ribs like glue, or oatmeal. The guitars are big, crisp and clear-but not overproduced-and the rhythm section collides to create a dense cavern of sound, pushing ahead lead singer Derek’s urgent vocals. Bassist Andrea comes in on multiple tracks with backing vocals, adding an effective dynamic to the five songs here, all of which are simultaneously fast moving and epic. The choruses crest with soaring vocals and double-time drums. “Listen” starts with a subdued strum and kicks into some metal-style finger-tapping, which shockingly enough, doesn’t come across the least bit smarmy.

Ultimately what we have here is a strong debut from a local act with good chops. While they could probably tone down the Huge at times and tighten up their arrangements, their mix and mash of pop punk, emo and prog metal riffing ends up much better than that description just made it sound. Maybe it’s the unaffectedness with which they play it, or the fact that they have more energy than 99 percent of the bands whose T-shirts you’d find at Hot Topic. Nonetheless, it kicks ass and had me on its side, something I wasn’t expecting from Where Did all the Angels Come From?”
- Bellingham Weekly

“Where Did All The Angels Come From? is an energetic 5-song EP served up by the Bellingham foursome, Typical Ace. This album is a frantic bullet of punk melodies and ever-present rock riffs that are fast enough to make your fingers tired just listening to them.

“Anything for a Smile” starts the album off solidly with a high-speed romp of cantankerous guitars that drive the authoritative vocals through curiously melancholy lyrics. Andrea Zacharia’s vocals fit nicely as the haunting introduction to the second track, “Mostly Armless.” The song begins with Andrea’s ethereal vocals coupled with stark, grinding guitars. When the rest of the band joins in simultaneously a few moments later the song gets rolling with all the power of an 18-wheeler tearing down the highway. Ultra-catchy guitar parts and unexpected horns on the title track make it memorable, and dual male vocals during the sing-alongs make me wish there were more vocal pairings between the two of them.

The production on this EP is exemplary; the levels allow the music to be loud and fast without desensitizing the listener. The members of Typical Ace play admirably well together on this album with an impenetrable tightness amongst them that sounds as though they’re all business at band practice. Overall, Typical Ace’s confident assertiveness present throughout Where Did All The Angels Come From? makes this EP a demonstration of youthful vigor worth noting.”
- What's Up! Magazine