Girls Like Cigarettes

GIRLS LIKE CIGARETTES. The Story So Far... New York-based, Baltimore transplants, Girls Like Cigarettes boast not only the type of infectiously catchy alt-rock one might've heard on 120 Minutes circa 1990 -- thus channeling groups like Husker Du, Catherine Wheel, Teenage Fanclub, and the Pixies, all of whom loom large in the band's output -- but have the impressive ability to be supremely populist yet to truly sound like nobody else on the scene today. Sonically, the group pulls few punches...

GIRLS LIKE CIGARETTES. The Story So Far... New York-based, Baltimore transplants, Girls Like Cigarettes boast not only the type of infectiously catchy alt-rock one might've heard on 120 Minutes circa 1990 -- thus channeling groups like Husker Du, Catherine Wheel, Teenage Fanclub, and the Pixies, all of whom loom large in the band's output -- but have the impressive ability to be supremely populist yet to truly sound like nobody else on the scene today. Sonically, the group pulls few punches, both in their songwriting and their incendiary live performance. Joe Black writes songs so timeless in their subject matter and delivery that they transcend what’s “hot” or “not” in the music industry. These songs, dealing with issues of loss, love, hope, redemption, and hoping your ex gets sucked into the propeller of an airplane, are then wrapped in a shiny pop sheen, not unlike taking your napalm with a spoonful of sugar. The end product could’ve been released in the 80's, 90's, today, tomorrow, 20 years from now? Possibly this is the reason for the persistent comparisons to legendary and timeless bands like The Cure, R.E.M. and early-era U2. Also bolstering the comparisons, Guitarist Pat Fisher's guitar tone matches the sonic lushness and experimentation of guitarists like Johnny Marr, The Edge, Joey Santiago, and Johnny Greenwood, and is a welcome break from the current crop of metal-influenced, 7-String shredders. One listen to the solo in “Beautiful Death Machines” shows Fisher emulating the cascading sounds of machine guns, if bullets were musical notes -- earning him recognition from Guitar Player Magazine Associate Editor Matt Blackett, who hailed the band's ridiculously thick guitar tones. In “Everything Must Break,” he sounds eerily like Head on the Door-era Robert Smith, funneling his guitar through multiple effects, yet creating a perfectly hummable melody line that lingers under the vocals sticks to you like glue. Drummer Jeff Reed, who approaches his job like a seasoned studio vet -- and in fact has done session work with major label artists like Evan Taubenfeld -- produces a massive drum sound and meticulous rhythm. On top of all this, of course, are Joe Black's emotive vocals, sly lyrics, and propulsive, pick-driven basslines. No wonder reviewers have been drawn to the obvious comparisons between Black and other prodigious singer/bassists/songwriters like Sting, Geddy Lee, and Sir Paul McCartney. In Summer 2007, the group recorded three songs at Baltimore's WRIGHTWAY STUDIOS with up-and-coming producer/engineer Stephen Wright (SR71, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Lake Trout, Evan Taubenfeld of the Avril Lavigne band, Dru Hill, 2 Live Crew). Not surprisingly, after posting the songs on MYSPACE MUSIC, the band quickly exploded on the MYSPACE TOP ARTIST CHARTS, lingering in the TOP 100 NATIONAL CHARTS in the Indie, Alternative, and Powerpop categories while crashing the TOP TEN for NYC POWERPOP, TOP 20 INDIE/ALTERNATIVE. Their 7000+ friends and 180,000+ plays highlights the band’s growing legion of fans, a dedicated core of whom have pasted the mini-hit “COMBUSTIBLE YOU” on their own players all across the world. Not a day goes by when someone new doesn't discover the group and connect with the message they’re sending. As a result, in December 2007, the group signed with FOLEY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, whose owner/president, Eugene Foley, has worked with various record labels (EMI, Sony, Interscope, Atlantic, Geffen, Elektra), and whose clients have earned nearly 40 Gold & Platinum Records & 3 Grammy® Awards for their overall career accomplishments. Although only having played live for just under one year, the group has played such notable venues as RAMS HEAD LIVE (Baltimore), SONAR (Baltimore), THE ANNEX (NYC), DON HILLS (NYC), ASYLUM (DC), THE RED & THE BLACK (DC), VELVET LOUNGE (DC), MERCURY LOUNGE (NYC), and would appear to be setting themselves up for bigger and better things, reaching a wider and wider audience. They have also prominently been featured on WDBK REAL 91.5, INSOMNIA RADIO, XM RADIO, TLP RADIO, 98 ROCK WIYY, UNSUNG HERO, WHFS 105.7, WFMU JERSEY CITY, and WTMD RADIO BALTIMORE. Rounding things out, the band has garnered national press attention with inclusion in the March 2008 edition of CMJ NEW MUSIC MONTHLY, to include a slot on the accompanying companion CD, coverage in international music magazines like SKOPE MAGAZINE, and a COVETED slot in the CMJ08 MUSIC FESTIVAL held in New York City from 21-25 October. With the industry already buzzing around the band's NYC shows -- and because the group is not content to sit on their collective creative laurels -- GLC plans to go into the studio in September 2008 with Grammy Award-winning Producer/Engineer/Mixer John Seymour (U2, Santana, Dave Matthews Band, Alice in Chains, Thursday, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Common, Guided By Voices), also a Foley-managed client. Says Joe Black: "Gene introduced us to John and we clicked immediately. Also, the opportunity to go into the studio with such an accomplished Producer is something we couldn't pass up. This band has always been about pushing it to the 'next level' -- artistically, instrumentally, or from a business perspective. It's all about staying in perpetual motion and making ourselves better and better..." Early word is that Seymour plans to record the band's rhythm tracks "live" in NYC's Water Studios legendary "BIG ROOM" to capture the energy and intensity of a live GLC performance and will press the results to 2-inch tape. Says Black, with a laugh, "we're obviously looking forward to hearing how this all turns out..." In sum, I’ll leave you with one final thought: Bands this good come around only once in a long, long while so you have to embrace them when they're here...because tomorrow they could be gone, baby, gone. Where has this band been hiding, and why are they not world famous?