The Antiques

Pinpointing the birth of Rock ‘n Roll music is a difficult task and is one that would spark much debate amongst music fans and artists alike. However, it is safe to partially attribute the birth of Popular Rock music to some legendary bands and artists, such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones. Following its inception, artists began to push against the walls of Rock music, expanding it to form new sounds and thus, new sub-genres. This process has continued through the decades and is still molding Rock music today. But the more artists experiment, the further Rock music stretches from its roots. There is no denying that this has made for some beautifully strange, but enjoyable music. However, listeners and musicians may lose sight, rather become deaf to the original sound that ignited this creative process. As dust collects on those classic records, turning the White album gray, the opportunity for such music to re-emerge becomes possible. This music can be pulled out of the attic and polished to look brand new. One such band that is bringing this antiquated sound back is appropriately named The Antiques.

The Antiques formed out of the ashes of the Santa Barbara, CA band Budge, who developed a cult following around Santa Barbara in the late ‘90s. Two members of the band went separate ways, but the core members, Joey Barro (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Ben Donaldson (bass) and Chris Good (drums, percussion), continued on from their new home of Los Angeles, CA. Barro’s intentions as a song-writer are not to replicate the original sound of Rock music, but to acknowledge it and update it. As he pens songs, he tips his cap to those like the Man in Black, paying homage to the greats; but rather than experimenting, he simply modernizes it, making it more relevant and accessible to today’s listeners. The addition of Josh Hertz (lead guitar, lap steel) provided a necessary balance between the old and the new, bridging the generation gap. The ability of the band to bridge such a gap gives access to listeners of all ages. Their sound is reminiscent of The Kinks and Bob Dylan in the ‘60s and ‘70s, combined with The Pixies and Wilco in the ‘90s and ‘00s, which culminates into an indie-folk-rock sound that brings back memories for some and forms new memories for others.

The Antiques live show is a memorable experience in itself. Their appreciation for music seeps through their skin and becomes obvious to the audience as they sweat it out on stage. The band displays its reverence for music by playing with intensity and precision on stage. These characteristics were carried into Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco, CA, where producer Aaron Prellwitz (Death Cab for Cutie, Sun Kil Moon) recorded The Antiques’ debut album titled Nicknames & Natives, out now on the San Diego-based Banter Records label. Banter also released At the X, an acoustic EP recorded by Tim Bluhm of the Mother Hips. In each of these releases, Barro’s cunning lyrics dance along a variety of vocal melodies, each of which aptly accompanies his lyrical tone. Similarly, Donaldson and Good provide a solid rhythm section that can be intensely robust or intimately soft to match Barro’s vocals. Hertz adds twang with his lap steel and melodies with his guitar that create a perfect atmosphere for the band to soar in.

The Antiques transcend the boundaries of time and can stand alongside the great Rock ‘n Roll bands of the past and the great Indie Rock bands of the present. Their records will be loved now and in the future.