THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND: "When I Was A Soldier" EP

The Weather Underground

"When I Was A Soldier" EP

© 2007 The Weather Underground (634479534348) (format: CD-R)

CD OUT OF STOCK for re-production. Expect long delays.

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Indie Rock n Roll band with the literary acumen of bands like The Smiths and Nation of Ulysses; a penchant for 50's skiffle, early 60's soul, late 70's punk ethos, and the earnestness of bands like The Arcade Fire & James

notes

Indie Rock n Roll band based in Los Angeles. The group consists of cousins Shoichi Bagley and Harley Prechtel-Cortez whom founded the group just over 2 years ago, along with Ryan KirkPatrick on bass and Diego Guerrero on drums (and whatever else he can hit or shake).

With the literary acumen of bands like Bob Dylan, The Smiths and Nation of Ulysses, The Weather Underground are an almaglm of many things: elements of late 70's punk movement; a penchant for 50's rock n roll and skiffle; a pureness of early 60's soul; and the earnestness of acts such as The Arcade Fire and Billy Bragg.

Having been compared to bands like Kings of Leon, Razorlight, the Make-Up, The Walkmen,and the Libertines-- their sound and presence is one all of their own. Their Ep has been described as such, "...the story telling style of Tom Waits, the poetry of the Beat generation, the undeniable Beatles/Nina Simone styled delivery of 'Nickel and Dime' and the Smiths-like 'HowManyOperations'(H.M.O.) and 'when I was a soldier' make this album and band important."

Hoping to make music together for a good lifetime, that chemistry eminates on stage. Their live shows has a "must see" word of mouth buzz at the roots level.

Just fresh off of a self-funded southwest tour (including two fire-driven sets at SXSW and a stint at the Hyperactive Music Festival) the band has been promoting their first EP " When I was a Soldier" .

reviews

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  • author: Jorge

    this band is doing something unique and original and i hope they keep at it for a long time. i cannot wait for the next Cd. I just finally saw them and they are amazing live. this ep is very good

  • good songs
    author: bogger 2000

    it kinda does sound like Nina Simone fronting the Beatles or something! Great songs! hope to hear more from these guys

  • ...like Kings Of Leon...Bohemian Romance of the Libertines
    author: Giov

    "Bellissimo, fresco, tagliente, romantico e blues come poca altra roba rock in giro attualmente. Lo stesso ardore ruvido degli ultimi Kings of Leon (Because of the Times) e qualche vena bohemiene romantica e scanzonata in stile Libertines."

  • GET THIS RECORD
    author: Yuri

    "This Ep is fantastic. The story telling style of Tom Waits, the poetry of the Beat generation, the undeniable Nina Simone styled delivery of 'Nickel and Dime' and the Smiths-like essence of 'HowManyOperations'(H.M.O.) make this album and band important. Get this record!" -yuri, BlogZone

  • LA's Best Kept Secrets
    author: Insomnia Radio

    Next...[one] of LA's best kept secrets, 'The Weather Underground'... will no doubt blast your senses and make you clambor towards their websites looking for a longer rock fix. Advice: Succumb to your desires...

  • They sound a little like Razorlight and a little like The libertines
    author: Sara

    I have listened to them so much since I bought this EP in March when I saw them. They have a great presence and amzing energy live. I haven't seen too many shows or concrts like theirs. I can't wait until a full record comes out! They remind me of a lot bands, they sound like Razorlight, can, the libertines, eddie vedder (sometimes), the walkmen, and even U2. I hope they put out a full Cd soon.

  • The sound adroitly embodies …the band's name
    author: Kotori Magazine

    Everything you ever really need to know about a band you can tell from the way their singer jumps into a crowd. Some plummet Eddie Vedder style, others ride inside giant inflatable balls ­ Wayne. Axl Rose once clobbered a fan, cancelled the show, and then fled from the ensuing riot. Anyone¹s who¹s witnessed the standard fall-in / crowd-surf / get-molested-by-the-fans (sorry Gwen, call me?) can recognize the beauty in this approach. Harley Cortez of The Weather Underground takes this his own direction ­ yours. Blink and he¹s off the stage, blink again and you¹re looking him in the eye. He engages the crowd, lip to microphone to lip: all spirit and pulse and passion. He provokes, pushes, begs, and convinces; the audience feels it and they¹re along for the ride. It¹s sport. The only two people in the room unaffected have their shirts tucked into their jeans and are staring at their Budweiser¹s. Smiles, the splits, break dancing, prodding, pleading - anxiety manifest; a few girls edge away at the impending attention but change their minds and approach him. In short order the stage is filled with clapping, embarrassed, smiling friends. You drive home trying to understand what you just saw. Somewhere, a God is missing his fire. The bands recorded tracks (available now as a 3 song sampler from an upcoming EP) hum with the same intensity and passion, the same level of engagement. The energy isn¹t contagious, it isn¹t electric: it¹s PERVASIVE. To say The Weather Underground sonically careen through a set is to say Herpes is Œspready¹ (sorry Gwen, call me?). Melodic but sweet with sharp vocals that range from a playful fervor to full-blown hurrah, the sound adroitly embodies the bands philosophy. Of note, the band¹s name. The Weather Underground Organization were a radical, militant offshoot of communist revolutionary New Left ­ a late 60s / early 70s youth movement out of Chicago, born out of opposition to the war in Vietnam. Notable for their rejection of non-violence, the groups name is a reference to the Bob Dylan lyric ³You don¹t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.² Art and politics nipping at one another¹s heals. Here, art is snarling, teeth bared. Harley explains, ³Our choice in the name is reflective of our attraction to a group of people that were enabled by an articulation of ideology and an agency of revolution to strike out against oppressive structures that essentially sought to squander a freedom of thought and movement it felt to be divisive. The name is an expression, not a designation.² The sound backs it up. How do just four young men go about creating such a forceful resonance? ³Through the laws of moments and time and space. We are all the greatest of friends. We sing and create songs about what is going on around us and we do it passionately.²

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