Something Fierce

1. Something Fierce, Don’t Be So Cruel (Dirtnap)
I wanted to keep this year-end business strictly alphabetical, but 2011 happened to have a clear winner, and of course Portland’s Dirtnap released it. I listened to Don’t Be So Cruel more than any other album this year. I wrote about Something Fierce more than any other band this year. This album delivers everything I want from anthemic punk rock: heartache, rage, regret, wonder, faith, pessimism, joy and (duh) hooks galore. I really do think this album should find its way to future shelves and history books as a worthy companion to London Calling. I adore it. - Willamette Week

Today we've got a premiere of "Warlords Of Information" from Something Fierce off their impending split 10" with Occult Detective Club 10" that's coming out on Dirtnap Records. Somewhere between classic punk rock and gritty rock 'n' roll, "Warlords" finds itself as an urgent, energetic, contemporary counterpart to the likes of the Buzzcocks or the Clash. - Alternative Press

Something Fierce
Don't Be So Cruel (Dirtnap)

Was 1991 really the year punk broke? Not according to this Houston three piece, whose press notes honor the year 1979. That explains the Paul Weller jams and Elvis Costello-worthy album title on its third album. Frontman Steven Garcia wrings just the right chords from his guitar and nails that No Wave vocal hiccup perfectly, plus there's funk in the bass work of Niki Sevven that will make the flannel set kick up its heels regardless of generational biases. Something Fierce also pays giddy homage to Eighties bands such as the Minute Men. While tracks such as the titular "Don't Be So Cruel" and "Future Punks" could be long-lost Strummer-Jones outtakes, there's also a contemporary vibe and of-the-minute political message on "Afghani Sands" and "Ghosts of Industry." It all adds up to much more than Houston Calling. - Austin Chronicle

On its third full-length, Don’t Be So Cruel, Houston trio Something Fierce didn’t exactly soften its pop-punk attack—it geekified it. Granted, there was plenty of unabashed nerd power to its previous recordings. But Don’t Be So Cruel breaks down the band’s gleeful, ’77-style thrashing and rebuilds it with a curious eye, a practiced hand, and an almost scientific knack for tinkering with its own genetic makeup.

Part of it may be the retro angle Something Fierce has always proudly upheld. Evolving slightly beyond the group’s original fixation with early Buzzcocks and Clash, Don’t Be So Cruel recalls the time when punk bands—not yet ready to graduate to keyboards or more sweeping compositional ambition—simply fucked with the formula a bit. The disc’s title track opens with stuttering, astringent, off-kilter riffs that leave huge holes in the song; it’s through those empty spaces that guitarist Steven Garcia pokes his sharp, hiccupping vocals, and bassist Niki Sevven installs bobbing, melodic lines that stop just short of post-punk funkiness.

On songs like the quirky “Future Punks” and the angular “Ghosts Of Industry,” though, the album feels hesitant and reserved; then again, even one of the group’s heroes, The Undertones, toyed unsteadily with a similar hybrid of punk, pop, and art on its overlooked 1980 near-masterpiece Hypnotised. Whether Something Fierce is similarly transitioning between raw rock and polished pop has yet to be seen—but the unhinged, reckless friskiness of Don’t Be So Cruel anthems like “Bad Choice” and “Dying Young These Days” shows that Something Fierce isn’t ready to give up on teenage kicks anytime soon. - The A.V. Club

"This Houston trio has been hard at work for the better part of this decade. Their 2nd record from 2009 (reissued on Dirtnap) entitled There Are No Answers, followed a nice blueprint of '77 U.K. punk (think Buzzcocks) with razor-sharp guitars and no shortage of hooks. This new record is a different beast altogether and not what anyone was expecting.

They still occasionally slip in those buzzsaw guitar and snotty vocals, but Steven Garcia (guitar/vocals) and Niki Sevven (bass/vocals) have taken it to the next step (along with new drummer Andrew Keith), still mining the UK but now following a path not quite so well-worn, such as on the tune "Afghani Sands," with its slightly dubby textures and scattershot guitars, or the bottom-heavy title track. The snappier "When You Hurt" is more pop than punk, while "Aliens Two" charges along with pure fist-pumping motion. Hopefully this record won't alienate old fans but honestly, the band is moving forward and doing something infinitely more interesting here. If the die-hard crusties don't want to come along for the ride then so be it." - Blurt Magazine

"The great paradox of punk rock is that fans love it because it's fast and loud, but for the folks playing it, fast and loud in and of itself is only interesting for so long, and most (though not all) worthwhile punk bands eventually find themselves moving into more stylistically varied territory a few albums into their career. Houston's Something Fierce are no exception to this principle; while their first two LPs found them cranking out smart and capable old-school punk with stylistic debts to the Clash and the Buzzcocks, 2011's Don't Be So Cruel is something different. Something Fierce haven't forsaken their allegiance to punk rock, but these 12 songs display a greater stylistic sophistication than the music on There Are No Answers or Come for the Bastards, with the pop hooks being given more room to move in the group's melodies and acoustic guitars and keyboards providing some added flavor and texture to the arrangements. This music is smarter and more carefully crafted than Something Fierce have attempted in the past, but it's no less passionate, and there's plenty of energy and purposeful anger on display; vocalist and guitarist Steven Garcia remains a forceful presence even with the tempo turned down a bit, while Niki Sevven's strong, melodic basslines and Andrew Keith's steady, no-nonsense drumming give this music a solid foundation that keeps it rooted, wherever it chooses to go. Don't worry that Something Fierce have slipped into post-punk doldrums on Don't Be So Cruel; the Clash are clearly still their role models, but they've moved on to the more ambitious approach of London Calling or Sandinista!, and they have the talent and the ambition to make their music work on a broader canvas. Hopefully they're smart enough to avoid making their own Combat Rock a few years down the line." - AllMusic

Something Fierce Don't Do Love Songs
by Elliott Sharp, May 11, 2012

Eight years ago, Steven Garcia, the vocalist/guitarist of Houston punk trio Something Fierce, lived in an apartment complex where there was a mysterious van covered in punk band stickers always sitting in the parking lot. One day, he figured out to whom it belonged -- Nikki Sevven (yes, a jab at Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx).

It turned out that Sevven played bass, and she and Garcia began working on some songs together. A few months later, they met drummer Andrew Keith -- “a friend of a friend who was always at the same parties as us,” says Garcia -- and Something Fierce was born.

“We started really young -- not just in age, but experience,” says Garcia. “We spent a lot of time just figuring out how to be band, learning to write together. That took about three years.”

They started with their shared love for late-1970s British punk acts like The Clash, Buzzcocks and Wire, and 1990s Berkeley ska-punk revivalists Operation Ivy. The three tapped into these bands’ energy and urgency, while adding a lively pop element. When the trio wasn’t busy playing basement parties and other D.I.Y. venues across Houston and holding down day jobs in the coffee industry, Garcia spent his time honing his songwriting skills.

“I decided at an early age that I’d never write love songs,” he says. “Most are really boring. I think it’s possible to write songs that sound like love songs but have more meaningful lyrics.”

That’s what Don’t Be So Cruel, the band’s third album, does best -- it creates a synergy between politically-conscious lyrics and irresistible hooks and melodies. The band wears its love for the Clash proudly on the jangling, reggae-flavored “Ghosts Of Industry,” a tune about the exploited and forgotten laborers of Juarez, Mexico’s notorious work camps.

But Something Fierce never crams its politics down your throat -- Garcia’s sense of humor especially shines on the playful anthem “Future Punks.”

“In ‘80s dystopian future movies, there are always future punks,” says Garcia about the song, which was inspired by movies like Repo Man and RoboCop. “They’re always raising hell or robbing a supermarket.”

Garcia mixed the album by himself -- the first time he had done that -- and had to learn how to use Pro Tools software. He spent four months locked in his room overdubbing and mixing (the band recorded the album in three days). He added a guitar lick here, a vocal harmony there, and before he knew it, he’d created more than 20 versions of each song.

“It turns out I’m the kinda person who really likes listening to the same crash cymbal for an hour,” he says. “I love the moment when I finally stumble upon the perfect mix.”

Other than an upcoming 10-inch split with North Texas punks Occult Detective Club, Something Fierce’s future is unwritten.

“We rarely think ahead -- we just jump in and see what happens,” says Garcia. “We don’t have an agent, we drive our own van and we wouldn’t even know how to look for a manager. The biggest management issue we have is about who will take the merch home after a show because nobody wants to carry it all.”

“But even if we did have a manager, we’d want to keep playing smaller shows,” he continues. “We love when all the kids are inches away from us and just going crazy. That’s where we feel most at home.” - Red Bull USA

"A tight song from start to finish, Something Fierce's "Empty Screens" takes only a few seconds to blast off, and doesn't lessen its intensity until the last fading note. The result is a perfect combination of punk chants and garage-rock energy, with no need for keyboards to prop up the guitar, bass, crashing cymbals and bombarded snares. Something Fierce gets a lot of love in its hometown of Houston, where it's known for its spirited club performances, but the group's recordings don't disappoint, either. The guitar solos vary up each time — they're gnarly but not sloppy, and aren't burdened with needless flourishes — while the lead vocals are captivating, the chorus blends perfectly into the refrain, and everything else fits in its right place. The first line of "Empty Screens" may be "We lost control," but this is a band that knows exactly what it's doing, and has a whole lot of fun in the process." - NPR

"This is the sound of a band that truly believes it can set the place on fire! Whatever that elusive quality is that separates truly awesome punk rock from generic thrashing, this band possesses it in abundance...I hear definite similarities to a lot of the bands mentioned above (Marked Men, Beat Beat Beat, The Ends), as well as to other modern-day staples of hooky old school punk (Stitches, Clorox Girls). Yet this trio has its own sound that's carried off with distinctiveness and panache." - Now Wave Magazine

"Come For The Bastards is honestly one of the best local releases I've heard in a while, a full-on, snarling blast of sweat-soaked rawk that kicks its way into your head and stays. The band certainly lives up to their name; from the very start of the opening title track, guitarist/singer Steven "Baby Face" Garcia, bassist/singer Niki Sevven, and drummer Red Rocket are a ferocious, unstoppable force." - Space City Rock

This is almost too easy; it's like eating my favorite candybar, seriously. I've been impressed as hell by local punk kids Something Fierce since I first caught their full-length effort, Come For The Bastards, but the blazing rawk fury of "Teenage Ruins" still catches me off-guard, nonetheless -- truthfully, it's their best damn song, and while I do love the vinyl, I find myself hoping the Fierce trio eventually throws it on their next actual album, as well, just so the rest of the non-turntable-owning universe can listen, too.
The guitars roar and drive like a freight train, Stephen "Babyface" Garcia croons over the top like a more-tuneful Joey Ramone, and classic UK power-pop melodies straight out of the late '70s/early '80s lurk just below the ragged edge of the music. Simply put, it's a perfect anthem for teen rebellion, just like the song's title implies.
The band's second track on the 7", "On Your Own," combines handclaps, '77 punk guitars, a limber, Rancid-style bassline, and a fine shoutalong chorus for a slice of retro-style punk/power-pop that's nearly as good as the first song. Plus, the intro guitars make me think of my favorite Billy Bragg live EP, and that's never a bad thing.
- Space City Rock

"This Houston three-piece plays bouncy, tuneful, snot-nosed punk rock sounding something like RED CROSS meets THE STITCHES...Definitely worth checking out...."
- Maximum Rock'N'Roll

"Andrew is more than just the unstoppable Red Fro of comic book fame he is a freaking beast on the kit while Nikkis basswork and Stevens guitarwork cut ahead of him like an army slicing its way through its opponents. The set was just a non-stop barrage of noise and sweat. What the fuck more do you want? What more do you need? Its just the musical equivalent of being coldcocked for 40 minutes. Ouch!"
- Ramon Medina

Punk rock is sort of a misnomer these days. As a genre, it's been watered down
by the likes of Green Day, Blink 182, Sum 41 and any number of tattooed pretty boys
and MTV specials on pop-punk stars' cribs. But Houston's Something Fierce like
their punk old-style, and their music is a throwback to punk's glory days when bands
like The Clash, The Ramones and Sex Pistols spat in the collective faces of both the
mainstream and the underground.

Steven Garcia, the band's singer/guitarist, describes the band's music as, in the
words of Frenchie Smith from Young Heart Attack, "rude." "Our sound is definitely
a mash up of 80's hardcore punk and '90s indie rock with a twist of surft and garage,"
he says. "We really don't want to play the same style for the rest of our lives, but we'd
always like to have an element of punk rock in our music."

The band's recent debut, Come For The Bastards, is a raucus group of songs that
instantly brings to mind some of the band's influences, but pays homage without
being trite and doesn't come off as an attempt to ride the coattails of some MTV-
styled trend. The songs are frenzied at times, but are structured enough to be catchy.
Of the album, Garcia says, "Come For The Bastards came out of nowhere for us, but it
quickly defined what we wanted to achieve with our music. As a song, it speaks out
to a discarded youth or group of people living outside of the norms in society, and as
an album, it lives somewhere between Agent Orange's Living in Darkness and the
Pixies' Surfer Rosa, stylistically speaking."

After ditching plans to move to California to pursue their music, the band ultimately
decided to stay home to record their album. Something Fierce plays around Houston
often and has attracted a decend fan base in their short time together. "The reaction
to our music has been quite humbling," Garcia says. "We've had such a diverse group
of people enjoy our music both live and on the album, and they've run the gamut in age,
as well. Apparently we appeal to both teenagers and the 40-something first wave punk
rockers. We think that says something about people just wanting to hear unadulterated,
modern punk rock."

"We think the scene is a lot better than most give it credit," Garcia says. "After hanging
at the Houston Press Music Awards showcase, we really saw how connected
Houston bands can be with one another, and we saw how much talent is building
up in Houston, ready to explode. What would make the scene better would be more
community attempts to showcase the local bands. Houston has several media outlets
that leave its local music in the dust, and we think it's time they woke up at the wheel."

By David A. Cobb - Envy Magazine

Something Fierce are an exciting new band from Houston, Texas. They have released their debut album, Come For The Bastards, which is definitely a stand out release in the current punk scene. Inspired by the 1970s punk rock movement, Something Fierce will be touring around the country this year, keeping the spirit of rock 'n' roll alive for current and future generations.

Dave: First off, could you introduce yourselves, who is in the band, and who plays what instrument?

SF: Hello, Dave at Now Wave. We are Something Fierce from Houston, Texas. Steven Garcia holds down the guitar/vocals, Niki Sevven is on bass/vocals, and Andrew "Rocket" Keith brings the pain on the kit...As in he's constantly cracking his knuckles and breaking sticks. We don't let him sing, but we do give him control of the egg shaker while recording.

Dave: When and how did Something Fierce get started as a band?

SF: The band started with Niki and Steven as a two piece in 2005. It would be easy to say that it all "came together" right away, but it took a lot of work before things started picking up. While scouring the city for a drummer, Andrew literally emerged from under our noses. We only knew him as the awesome red afro guy that showed up to all of the parties, so when we found out he was a drummer, our fate was sealed.

Dave: How is the current music scene in Texas? From on outsider, like me, looking in, it seems like there is a lot happening in Texas. What are some of the best cities for bands to play in?

SF: Texas is big, so there definitely is a lot going on. Denton, TX seems to be breeding the best bands in the scene (Marked Men, Riverboat Gamblers, Wax Museums, Maaster Gaiden), and the cool kids there are as nice as can be. There's a hint of elitism in the air, but I think that's what causes the bands to rise above the generic. Austin has always been known for its prevalence in the music world, but playing a successful show there without having immediate connections can be tough. There's just too much competition, but it's still a place bands need to hit on tour. Austin can be a blast. We have some friends, The Hangouts, who are putting on rad shows in College Station, and although Houston has been a third wheel in the Texas scene since we are too far south, we'd like to think that Something Fierce is changing the formula. There is finally some unity developing amongst Texas bands, and we couldn't be more happy.

Dave: That's good to hear. About how far is Houston from Denton and Austin?

SF: Denton is a little over 4 hours away, just north of Dallas, and Austin is only about 3 hours north. That doesn't sound far, but you'd be surprised how often bands opt to skip Houston because of its location.

Dave: What are some of the future plans for Something Fierce?

SF: We've got a lot lined up this year. We should have a split 7" with The Hangouts out this month on Manic Attack Records, another 7" on Bitchin' Riffage due in October, and we've got two tours coming up. Basically, as long as we can afford to keep pumping out records and touring, that's what we'll do.

Dave: Are there any plans on playing shows on the East Coast (Philadelphia, New York, Boston etc.)?

SF: Nothing is set in that area, yet, but we want to hit it up before the end of the year. The tour lined up in July bounces as far east as Atlanta, then we head up to Chicago and come back down central. The tour in October hasn't been fleshed out, but I know we're doing a few dates heading east with Teenage Bottlerocket. After those, we'll likely continue up the coast on our own. Shit, dude, we tried last winter, but booking our own tours is fuckin' hard. Sometimes people are cool, and sometimes they just blow us off...Still, we have to keep trying.

Dave: What kind of topics do you like to write your songs about?

SF: My lyrics always either come off with a disdain for the upper echelon of society, or they will be about heartbroken kids that can't get their lives straight. There's an effort to find beauty in the dark corners of modern life, though. I always loved the way bands like The Buzzcocks could be so dark and realistic, yet so romantic in one sitting. Another perfect example would be The Wipers.

Dave: What were some of the best shows you played so far?

SF: The last two shows have really blown us away. We released that debut album last year, but Houston is notorious for catching on to things slowly, mostly because it's so big and divided. It's taken a lot of work to build up good local support. However, these last two shows with The Marked Men and The Ends have really caused an upswelling in our local fan base. We saw kids that we've never met before singing lyrics to our songs, and that is downright heartstopping.

Dave: Were any members of your band in other bands besides Something Fierce?

SF: Niki played in a band, The Neckbreakers, for a few years with her dad (a true first-wave punk rocker), and Steven played in Gun Crazy/Born Liars for about two years, starting as the bassist, then the drummer, then the guitarist...He even recorded both bass and drum parts on Exit Smiling, their latest release on Mortville Records.

Dave: Wow, that's really cool to hear that Niki played in a band with her dad. Texas had a lot of bands back in the day. Are there any first wave bands from the 1977-1982 era that are still together?

SF: Hrmm, that's a really good question. The first band that comes to mind is The Dicks. Gary Floyd has been living in San Francisco for the last two decades, but they still get together for a few Texas dates once a year. Niki and Steven were lucky enough to catch their last show in Houston at Rudyard's, and Floyd gave them both a big, hairy beard kiss! Other than them, Houston's The Hates are still in full gear, San Antonio's Butthole Surfers haven't called it quits, and even Jeff Walton of the legendary no-fi pop group, The Judy's, recently spoke about re-releasing their old albums and a possible NEW album/reunion tour. Stoked.

Dave: How old are the members in Something Fierce?

SF: At the moment, we're all 22.

Dave: Did you guys release the Come For The Bastards CD yourselves?

SF: Yes, completely and entirely on our own, but with the help of our loved ones. Steven designed everything on the album, and all of the money came from our own pockets. That's probably something we'd never want to do again because we're still paying for it!

Dave: What do you think about the current state of punk rock?

SF: Things will always fluctuate. There will be good bands, and there will be bad bands. There are a lot of exciting changes in the music world, though, like the downfall of the major label. The Internet and MP3 revolution have destroyed the importance of CDs, and records are on the rise again. Hopefully, that shift will make vinyl less costly to produce. Fuck, the Internet is even allowing access to excellent online zines like Now Wave that don't need to worry about advertisers but simply get to focus on CONTENT. Actual content and heartfelt reviews. That's what really matters.

Dave: That is a very good point. It was a pleasure to do this interview with you. I wish Something Fierce the best of luck in the future, and I hope I get a chance to see your band play live sometime. Do you have any closing comments?

SF: Thank you, Dave. Hopefully, you'll get your chance in October, and if any of you readers see us coming around YOUR town, show some love.

Interview by Dave Getzoff, July 2007
- Now Wave Magazine

October 11, 2007
Something Fierce/Come for the Bastards: Self-released

With bratty battalion bravura, banged-up trashcan harmonies, and old timey punk prowess, this Ozone City trio is making the big state of Texas shake under their attack. The lead track is brazen and ballsy - a great hectic, thundering mishmash that makes me think of a spastic version of Selby Tigers or the Grouvie Ghoulies. Yet, they immediately turn on a slight Pixies-like vibe on "Better off Without You," if you ignore the "I'm so fucking pissed" grrly motor mouth. This side of the band is pleasant, yet unrepentant rock'n'r'roll. Similarly, "Repent" has the same medium-paced rawness and pissiness, a kind of garage rock snarl, but it has hints of 1980's Orange County punk too. The catchy "Cut Deep," with its tale of words that actually do break bones, or at least cut skin, acknowledges that such things also conjure opportunities, especially when the girl turns away, finding solace in a lucky guy who doesn't open his dumb mouth.

"Lost Perspective" careens like a bat out of hell, barely zipping beyond the one-minute mark, like a wall of bludgeoning harmonies. "Dirty One" is just as gritty and punches at those who are like "loaded guns" that are "about to fall" since they believe in their own lies. The crammed, clangy, almost off-tempo little drum solo makes the whole thing feel like a rough gem. "The Peter Pan Song" is a sweet and tough ode to the tiny creatures of our Technicolor imaginations and our desire to get rid of everything from losses, books, corporate crooks, bosses, drugs, sadness, all to be replaced by a permanent holiday in the sun. It's a stand-out, if only for its adept mix of punk formula, pop culture allusion, and serene sincerity. To end, "10 Ft." could be Dee Dee Ramone, or hmm, CJ Ramone, yelping "I can't take it anymore" as the song cuts right through to the buzz-bone reality of damaged rock'n'roll. Watch out for this new league of Southern fried tantrums. - Left Of The Dial Magazine

"Hot, juicy and tasting good. The beers to wash it all down sounds like they were smuggled out of the Marked Men's cooler. Melodic jangles and pop gleamings shot through into hyperspace by a agitated punk rock cannon."
- Smashin' Transistors

"Something Fierce keep getting better and better, and "Teenage Ruins" is a new high mark for the Houston trio. It's just a great punk tune - upbeat, catchy, and rockin' as all get-out, with great backing vocals and melodic guitar leads that are absolutely out of this world. This is music that just doesn't quit - it's so alive and energetic and contagiously hyper that it can make any day better just by entering my ears. It's hard to listen to a song like this and not imagine people jumping around, kids dancing 'til they drop, and bodies flying all over the place. Everything seems right here: the guitar sound is louder and rawer than ever, the solos kick ass, and the fadeout proves to be the perfect way to end all this fun. If you can believe it, "On Your Own" notches up the pace even more, firing off super-fast and ultra-tuneful. It's got a really uplifting, youth anthem style chorus. If the High Tension Wires covered Be My Doppelganger, it might sound something like this." - Now Wave Magazine