Vine House

Vine House mainman Mark Stancato understands power pop in a way few can match. Loaded with everything that made Cheap Trick, the Sweet, and Knack so attractive, his band delivers fundamental driving songs simple in their change-ups but powerful in effect, and isn't that, after all, what makes even AC/DC so compelling? The very first cut grabs the listener by the throat. With its fuzzed guitar, vocal harmonies, and poetic frustrations, Killer on the Road, drives the beat through the wall and never lets up. Its successor, the title cut "Young Regret", backs off the adrenalin but remains insistent, bedded in flashing chords and the accompanying slightly snotty, a bit whiny, a little pissed, but classically pop vocal lines we all expect and love. Listening to Vine House makes one recall why Dwight Twilley and so many earlier pop attempts were dismaying…or, for that matter, why Jules Shear never quite cut it like he should have: too little gristle and sinew.

Well, Stancato's pumped up for the task and understands what the Beatles knew well: complicated music is all very well, but people have to have something they can trip easily out to as well, something providing back-off from the stress of daily life while simultaneously reflecting it. Not an easy trick to manage, but the guy makes the perplexing task seem effortless, always the mark of a master. Trust me, the ability to carry off an entire disc of top-notch music of this caliber is near-impossible. The Sweet's Desolation Boulevard slew charts with its finesse, as did The Knack's debut, and Vine House has aced the feat as well, sliding some Kinks in while doing so. Hell, even Jan & Dean (I swear to God, listen to Rosalie and tell me you don't hear those 60s pop icons sneaking in the back door). The crap that passes for pop on the radio is so repellent that this band's main problem will be how to overcome the automatic reaction naturally occurring when one utters that single syllable "pop" without having to carefuly explain where everything went wrong. - Acousticmusic.com

So here I am, ready to enjoy Memorial Day – the unofficial first day of summer festivities – and I pop in this disc. “Killer on the Road” blasts into my headphones, teeming with big power chords and ringing vocals, and I am reminded of why good ol’ rock and roll is such a vital part of summer.

In the power pop anthems of Vine House, I hear echoes of Cheap Trick (“Killer on the Road”) early Who (the title cut), grungier REM (“Summer Fling”). Track after track on Young Regret is one more slice of melodic, hooky, punchy, immediate-gratification goodness.

Bandleader Mark Stancato has crafted one certifiable instant classic, the urgently glorious “Coffee Break.” It appropriates a speeded-up version of the chord progression of one of my all-time favorite cruising songs, Journey’s “Stone In Love,” over insistent, snappy drums.

“Rosalie” has a folkier feel – Gin Blossoms’ angst filtered through Byrds-like hippie-ness. Then comes the unique-yet-familiar “The Fall” – reggae-fied verses tumbling into the bittersweet, singalong chorus. “Mrs. Wallington” is a pretty, mid-tempo ballad, decorated with washes of organ. “Alibi” and “End of the Line” with punkish Stancato vocals and slashing guitars, are jump-from-the-speakers knockouts. Plenty of variety here, all vintage power pop.

The guitars and vocals shimmer, the songs pay homage and still sound fresh – Vine House’s Young Regret was my welcome-to-summer wake-up call. Give it a listen on your own back porch, beach trip, or top-down drive.


Artist: Band: Vine House
Album: Young Regret
Website: http://www.vinehousemusic.com
Genre: Power Pop
Sounds Like: Cheap Trick, early Who, REM
Production/Musicianship Grade: 10/10
Commercial Value: 9/10
Overall Talent Level: 9/10
Songwriting Skills: 9/10
Performance Skill: 9/10
Best Songs: Coffee Break, Rosalie, Killer on the Road
- The Muse's Muse

The jangle and thrum of twin guitars against the rumble and crash of a 4/4 backbeat. Harmony vocals punching up the sing-along choruses. Quick, stabbing solos, expansive flourishes and crescendos, total sweaty commitment to each and every song. This is power pop, musical territory that’s been inhabited by some legendary bands over time: Big Star, the Replacements, Gin Blossoms, Superdrag and the list goes on.

Vine House is a vehicle for the songs of singer-songwriter Mark Stancato, late of New York modern rock band Exit 8. Stancato’s new outfit includes Rob Kudyba on lead guitar/vocals and Matt Patterson on drums/vocals, and they clearly share his love of classicist guitar bands from the Beatles to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to the Clash.

Old-school drumstick taps count in the beginning of kick-off cut “Killer On The Road,” whose early verses have a kind of Buddy Holly feel, a stuttering rockabilly cadence that bursts into full-throated rock and roll at the choruses. The sweet jangle-rock melody and layered vocals of “Young Regret” take you back beyond Big Star et al to the band they all grew up on, the Byrds. “Coffee Break” amps the energy higher yet with a number that feels like a less fatalistic Gin Blossoms rave-up.

Stancato’s lyrics chronicle everyday observations interrupted by flashes of insight, mostly autobiographical tunes about gaining control over your own life and overcoming obstacles both external and self-imposed. Fairly introspective stuff for a band whose sound is this big and bouncy and rich, but then again, the Blossoms have made it work for 15 years.

Favorite moments from the remainder of this 11-track debut include the foot-tapping, air-guitaring opening of “Rosalie,” the beautiful solo that lights up the steady-building “Mrs. Wallington,” and the reckless, thundering melodic drive of the Clash-worthy “End Of The Line.” Anthemic closer “She Walked Right In” falls into cliché at the chorus, but the music still packs a tasty punch.

Young Regret is an album that gains impact with each listen, but whose appeal remains essentially visceral -- drums and guitars and harmonies ringing out for the greater glory of rock and roll. You could try to complicate that equation, or you could just let the raw impact speak for itself. Vine House tries to have it both ways, and mostly succeeds.

Rating: B+
- The Daily Vault

In 2006, singer/songwriter Mark Stancato decided to form a new band. When it came time to choose a name he thought back to an old, halfway-condemned Victorian house he lived in on Vine Street that had out of control vines growing on the basement walls. He named his group as a tribute to this locale where he realized music would play a monumental role in his life. Driven by Stancato's explosive, guitar driven pop/rock hooks, Young Regret is an album that isn't easy to dismiss.

"Young Regret"'s lyrics expose the inner workings of Stancato's mind and "Killer on the Road" is an ode to the "deal killer" in everyone's life, whether that's another person, a bad choice or inner demons we all need to fight.

"I'm very proud of the way the Vine House sound has progressed and think that Young Regret reflects the strongest songwriting I have done," says Stancato. "I feel these songs are accessible enough for attracting a diverse fan base, and through live performances will lead to the opportunity to do more recordings. Nothing beats getting out there and playing your original music. It's all about developing those personal connections and I'm really excited to start sharing the music." I couldn't have summed it up any better than Stancato himself. There is plenty of variety throughout the album and something for almost everyone. Impossible to forget and easy to love, Young Regret has been the perfect addition to my summer soundtrack.

Some of Vine House's musical influences include: The Cars, Tom Petty & The Clash.

Recommended tracks: "Justine" and "Killer on the Road" - Indie Music Stop

This three-piece starts out their “Young Regret” with “Killer on the Road”, a track that skillfully blends together a doo-wop sound with a contemporary approach to rock. The vocals are the pinnacle on what is already a solid step forward; where the vocals provide listeners with a hooky set of melodies, they also are more intricate than one would hear at first blush. Regardless of how individuals end up taking “Killer on the Road”, individuals will focus on to Vinehouse’s efforts on the later segments of “Young Regret”. “Killer on the Road” is followed up by the title track, which provides individuals with a different side to Vinehouse.

The bass is what stands out most clearly for me on this track, adding the proper punch to a track that shows influences ranging from the Spin Doctors to Soul Asylum. “Coffee Break” strips the intricate arrangements and the multiple layers of both “Killer on the Road” and “Young Regret,” allowing the guitars to approximate a sound that is influenced by AC/DC and Foghat. The dreamy vocals during this track have a hint of “Siamese Dream”-era Billy Corgan, while the overall approach is unique.”Rosalie” shows a shift in the subject material broached by Vinehouse; this track showcases a tremendous amount of emotion, as the vocalist addresses the title individual in a way that anyone that is listening in will be able to identify with. The driving beat pushed forth during “Rosalie” by the drums and bass further show the dedication of the vocalist, making for a compelling track that pushes on the style put forth during “Bringing Down The Horse”-era Wallflowers.

“The Fall” begins with the same churning, driving drum and bass dynamic, but adds a hint of ska influence in the guitar arrangements (think “Synchronicity”-era Policy) to create a sound that has something for everyone, no matter which era of rock an individual may favor. Vinehouse creates a unique sound during “Young Regret” that will stick with listeners for weeks after listening to “Young Regret”, but this is not the only reason why individuals will appreciate the band. Vinehouse creates their unique approach to music through use of a number of influences from all eras and genres in rock: individuals are likely to hear Tom Petty and Morrissey playing along during the track, as Vinehouse creates something that is definitely special.

Top Tracks: Alibi, The Fall - NeuFutur Magazine

'Coffee Break' - 5.0 out 5.0 stars after 25 reviews...

Track of the Day on 15Mar2008 in Power Pop
Track Of The Week on 19May2008 in Power Pop
Best Mood in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008

'Killer on the Road' - 4.9 out of 5.0 stars after 27 reviews...

Track of the Day on 14Mar2008 in Power Pop
Track Of The Week on 26May2008 in Power Pop
Best Male Vocals in Power Pop, week of 7Apr2008
Best Male Vocals in Power Pop, week of 9Jun2008
Best Guitars in Power Pop, week of 9Jun2008
Best Drums in Power Pop, week of 9Jun2008
Best Production in Power Pop, week of 9Jun2008
Best Melody in Power Pop, week of 9Jun2008
Best Beat in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008
Best Mood in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008
Best Mood in Power Pop, week of 14Apr2008
Rocking Track in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008

'Mrs. Wallington' - 4.7 out of 5.0 stars after 22 reviews...

Track of the Day on 18Mar2008 in Power Pop
Track Of The Week on 2Jun2008 in Power Pop
Best Male Vocals in Power Pop, week of 24Mar2008
Best Male Vocals in Power Pop, week of 7Apr2008
Best Guitars in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008
Best Drums in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008
Best Production in Power Pop, week of 31Mar2008
Best Lyrics in Power Pop, week of 7Apr2008
Best Melody in Power Pop, week of 7Apr2008
Best Melody in Power Pop, week of 14Apr2008

'Justine' - 4.3 out of 5.0 stars after 25 reviews...

Track of the Day on 17Mar2008 in Power Pop
Track Of The Week on 9Jun2008 in Power Pop
Best Mood in Power Pop, week of 21Apr2008

- Garageband.com

It’s full on power pop, FM radio rock around Mark Staccato’s Vine House it seems and on their debut album ‘Young Regret.’ Vine House is the name of Mark’s new band and they deal in full on power pop hooks which slam into your brain from the start. People may have heard of Mark’s former band Exit 8 which dealt in a more indie sound, but after they split up in 2006 Mark has come up with Vine House and he isn’t afraid to simplify things and go for loud and proud rock riffs, which veer of into a grunger direction. Vine House are the sort of band that can really happen in America, with the big American high ways and the long journey’s from one city to another and blasting out FM rock with pride along the way.


‘Killer On The Road’ kicks things off with full on Bruce Springsteen meets Bowling For Soup guitar riffs, ‘Coffee Break’ recalls some early Green Day cheeky and chugging guitar riffs which staple themselves inside your frontal lobe. The lovelorn ‘Rosalie’ sees Mark and co take their foot of the peddle a little bit and really focussing on the songwriting. ‘The Fall’ has a bit more of folk rock feel to it and it see’s the album becoming a lot more comfortable with itself. The first few tracks feel a bit too much full of blustery.


Indeed ‘Justine’ is not too far from Supergrass around their ‘In It For The Money’ vintage rock stage, and plying itself to the power pop which is what underpins this album. Its some of these later tracks that actually within the power pop pool that ‘Young Regret’ has thoroughly bathed itself in, it ventures of into other territories too some success, because then their’s the thought provoking and reflective ‘Mrs. Reflective’ is more of a power ballad, it starts of low key and understated before progressing into a stream of guitars interweaving and flowing through the speakers. Then ‘Summer Fling’ is Hammond organ driven and funky guitar driven rock, and you can’t help but put a big grin on your face as you listen to the lyrics.


In fact most of this album will make you smile as it’s a full on summer time rock album for the good times.


Some of the power pop and rock might be a bit too much, particularly the more basic tracks and it doesn’t seem to let up, but doen’t let that put you off as the tracks do veer of into other directions and the full on guitars are full of excitement plus it’s a thoroughly easy album to get into and doesn’t take too much of your time either. It has the playfulness of the likes of Bowling For Soup and Blink 182 but none of the immaturity that accompanied those bands. It’s a heart felt album that looks at life and relationships, the final track ‘She Walked Right In’ in particular does, in a thoroughly rocking way. It’s an album full of power pop sure, but within that you’ll find more which makes the album ultimately great. - Subba Cultcha