SEXCoffee

I'd Like A Large Coffee With Extra Sugar, Extra Sex:
An Interview With SexCoffee
Article by Jason Perry, southcoast247.com correspondent

If SexCoffee's unique name doesn't grab your attention, then their fiery lyrics and driving hard-rock rhythms will yank your arm just enough to make you whimper in pain. The year 2007 has been kind to these motivated, yet easy-going Massachusetts rockers. With the release of their debut album "The Drink You Paid For" and some unforgettable live shows, it's only appropriate that SexCoffee's 2007 ends with a caffeinated bang: taking the stage of Providence, Rhode Island's Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel as the opening act for Sublime tribute band, Bad Fish.

With SexCoffee's highly-anticipated December 28th debut at Lupo's on the horizon, southcoast247.com caught up with the genre-bending quartet to discuss the band's origin, relationships and on-stage nudity.

SC247: Let's hear the origin story. Where'd the name SexCoffee come from?

Ruth (lead vocals): It technically comes from the band Maroon 5. They have a song where they use the line "The sex you slipped into my coffee" and I thought that was a great line. So I took it and created my own name: SexCoffee.

Sharlene (bass): [Ruth] liked the idea of sex and coffee being synonymous together. The whole idea of let's go out for coffee…

Ruth: But they really mean sex. Well, that's my experience anyway. (laughs)

SC247: Talk us through the recording process of your first full-length album "The Drink You Paid For."

Sharlene: We got to listen to each other's music in a different way. Usually, we hear each other when we're playing our own instrument, but in the recording process they went one by one. So we'd have to listen to just drums over and over again and then comment on it. Same thing with the bass and guitar. I remember Rick going "I didn't know you played that." Basically picking everything apart was the best thing about it.

SC247: A majority of SexCoffee's lyrical content is based on the troubles associated with relationships. Is it easier to write meaningful songs using relationships as a catalyst?

Rick (guitar): If you're Ruth it is. (laughs)

Ruth: It's kind of line therapy for me. I would say at least two of our songs aren't about a bad break-up or relationship.

SC247: Does the rest of the band have any input in the lyrics?

Rick: I've tried. We're not the best lyricists, we just play music. (laughs)

Sharlene: I don't think it's necessarily easier. I think it's just because of our age group and we're in that time period where everything is surrounded by social interaction.

Rick: And why fight it, you know what I mean? If all the songs are about relationships, and they're good songs, then hey.


Sharlene: I'm sure if we were all happily married, we wouldn't be writing songs about it…

Ruth: The band wouldn't exist if I was ever in a good relationship. (laughs) I was in a relationship for a year and a half…no songs. I just found out he cheated on me…three more!

SC247: SexCoffee will be opening up for Bad Fish at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence on December 28th - easily your biggest show to date. Where's the band's excitement level at?:

Sharlene: Oh easily ten. Twenty-five. One hundred.

SC247: What can everyone expect at the show?

Ruth: Nudity. (smiles)

Rick: The best show that they've seen us a play.

Sharlene: We're working very hard to make it [our] best show to this day. We've only have a half an hour, so we're going to make it the best half hour we can.

Rick: We purposely took a few weeks off before the show, so that way we can definitely get in enough practice.

SC247: What'll be people's opinion on seeing SexCoffee for the first time?

Paul (drums): I think they'll be really impressed. I feel we're more of a live band. Rick and I go back to high school doing performances and that's what we strive off of.

Sharlene: Since the CD, we've surpassed our sound with our live performance and I think it's because we know what we're doing more now. We know what to expect and now we work off of each other a little better.

SC247: How long did it take you all to get in that comfort zone on-stage with each other?:

Ruth: It took me about four years. It was an all girl band about four years ago, when we first started. I've come into my own in the past six or seven months.

Rick: Because I'll steal the spotlight from her. (laughs)

Sharlene: [Rick and Ruth] work off each other pretty well on-stage and that's kind of a highlight for people to come see us.

Ruth: And we start good fights on-stage. (laughs)

Rick: As far as the live performance, I mean, there's nothing worse than really liking a band and going to see them live and it's terrible. I'd rather have people go "Oh, the CD's alright" but then come see us live and be like "Man, this band's awesome."

SC247: Has there been one performance of yours that's most memorable?

Sharlene: We played in Pawtucket at KC's Tap and we were the opening show for two harder bands. One of them just didn't show up. So the people that owned the place asked if we could go up again. So we went up at the end of the night to play…and [Ruth] was drunk.

Rick: We had packed up our shit at this point.

Paul: So we unpacked our stuff and played the whole set over again. That second set was just phenomenal.

Sharlene: And that was the first time we played one of our newest songs. We were like "Alright, let's just do it" and see how it sounds and we got a great response.

SC247: Alright, here's your promo chance. Plug the upcoming Lupo's show.

Rick: Best rock and roll show you've seen this entire year.

Ruth: Oh, that was convincing. (laughs)

Rick: It's fucking rock 'n roll man. Can I say fuck?

SC247: You can.

Rick: Well I don't want to say "Oh man we're a good band, come support us, we're awesome", you know?

Sharlene: I think just guarantee [for there to be] some surprises. What's the line for [our] slogan?

Ruth: "Guaranteed to get you up." Well, I say get you up.

Sharlene: (Shakes her head) Nope. We're coming out with merchandise for the Lupo's gig. And [the slogan] is "Guaranteed to get you some, even if you regret it in the morning."

Ruth: Uh, have I heard that?

Paul: (laughs) Even lyrics are new to her when we're on-stage.

Rick: Even the one's she wrote.

For more information on SexCoffee, check out their official website at www.sexcoffeeband.com or look them up on MySpace at www.myspace.com/sexcoffee.

Tickets for SexCoffee's show at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island on December 28th are available at the Lupo's website: www.lupos.com - Jason Perry, Southcoast247.com

If you're interested in asking Ruth Charbonneau out on a date, you better stay away from the old "Would you like to get a cup of coffee?" ice breaker. She thinks guys actually have something else in mind besides a little java and some conversation when they ask that question.

"They really mean sex, or at least that's my experience," Charbonneau said.

Charbonneau says that's part of how she came up with the name for the band that she fronts with bassist Sharlene DeNardo, guitarist Rick Gallego and drummer Paul Campbell. But the name for the band is more far reaching than the dating scene.

"We figured SexCoffee was an edgy name to go with the edgy lyrics," Charbonneau said. "I came up with the name. They all hated it."

The music isn't all about sex. There is a lot of substance to it, as Charbonneau sings about relationships, the trials and tribulations of life and the people in it. The songs have to do with human interaction, significant others, family members and college roommates. But Charbonneau admits people should not be booking SexCoffee for Confirmation parties.

"There's pretty much a swear in almost every song," Charbonneau said. "The music is melodic and some of it sounds sweet, but the content of it really isn't."

SexCoffee's debut album is called The Drink You Paid For and is pretty much a compilation of all the relationships the band members have had over the last three years, according to Charbonneau. "Moocher" is about a roommate who was a moocher. "Addiction" is about inner torment, the struggle within a person and the bad habit. "Circus" is a ballad.

"If you can think of all the negative things that you can do in a relationship, that's in the CD - lying, cheating, deceit," DeNardo said.

The members of the SexCoffee had to cram a lot of hours within two weeks in the studio to produce the album. DeNardo said it was a good experience for the band as they got to hear each other's different music preferences. She said they learned how to work together better, especially when they did the harmonies for the songs. Gallego said the musicians critiqued each other's work, but got along well. Charbonneau said the band members were playing jokes on each other during the recording. DeNardo said they became a stronger band because of it.

Campbell said all of the members of the band have there own tastes when it comes to music, but they all also have open minds about music, which makes working together workable. Gallego likes jam bands. His father has a huge album collection and for months, Gallego just picked out one album that day and listened to it from cover to cover. DeNardo thinks mostly about lyrics and was influenced by the college rock bands from the 1990s her parents listened to - REM, The Pixies and Elvis Costello. Charbonneau listens to the harder end of the spectrum with bands like Nine Inch Nails. She prefers to sing songs that have been sung by men, rather than the cliche female singer songs.

"I was a wicked hair band girl - Trickster, Metallica, Cinderella, anyone who wore spandex and used Aquanet," Charbonneau said. "It was because of my older brothers. They were all like: Do you want a Cinderella poster?"

The CD was produced and engineered by Ray Jeffrey, of Liberty Union Recording Company in Taunton, Mass., who is close to the twenty-something ages of SexCoffee and has done sound work for the Dropkick Murphys.

"He gave us a lot of ideas, how to think out of the box, how to fill dead space in our songs" DeNardo said.

After spending a lot of time together making the CD, what did the members of SexCoffee do? They spent a lot more time together when they took a trip to Tennessee where they worked on new music and did some acoustic tunes that are now on their MySpace site.

"We get along well," Charbonneau said. "We party together. We cry together and it's very hard to find other bands that are like that."

Gallego says people have to see SexCoffee live to see what the band is all about. DeNardo said the band tends to have a very mixed audience, with the most common age group in the late 20s. SexCoffee recently played at a concert in Fairhaven in the Ride FAR Campaign to raise money to find a cure for AIDS. It was their first charity concert and they played there because they were asked by a couple of friends who were big supporters of the band.

"AIDS research is very important," Gallego said. "It always has been and always will be until they find a cure."

Charbonneau started the band while a student at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. While she was majoring in psychology and elementary education at UMass, she seemed to be spending more time in the music department at the school. Some of the songs on the bands album come from experiences at UMass. She put a couple flyers up on wall, asking if anyone was interested in starting a band with her. She got responses from all females and they started a group called 5Fox4. The band lost its original drummer, so they got Campbell as just a fill in. "We liked him so much, we decided to keep him," DeNardo said. Then the band lost a guitarist and Campbell said he had a good person to fill that slot who turned out to be Gallego. The music has been catching on around Massachusetts. They have been getting some gigs at some bigger venues, such as Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, R.I., and some play on the radio.

"Every show, there seems to be handful more of people that we don't know who are showing up," Gallego said. "More and more places we're calling to book shows say we've heard you guys are awesome, and they're calling us now."

-Fall 2007 issue of Limelight Magazine

http://www.myspace.com/limelightmagazine - George Austin - Limelight Magazine

SEXCoffee is no-frills, straight-up alt-rock (Mary’s Danish to your kid sister’s Paramore) known for their kickass live show, having paid dues the past six years playing out across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. But the “breakthrough” tag surely applies after hearing new tracks from their forthcoming EP The Morning After (CD release party at the Blackstone in September), the first studio release since The Drink You Paid For, their promising ’07 debut that included the garage rock gem “Last Night,” which sounds like a Sleater Kinney B-side from Call the Doctor. “Damascus,” the leadoff single on The Morning After, ably displays the band’s evolving sound with Sharlene DeNardo (bass), Paul Campbell (drums), and Rick Gallego (guitar) backing Ruth Charbonneau’s feisty vocals. SEXCoffee has gigs scheduled around the region through October; check the dates at myspace.com/SEXCoffee. - The Providence Phoenix

Band Spotlight: SexCoffee
Posted by Paige MacGregor

The winner of Best Breakthrough Act in Providence (RI) in the Providence Phoenix’s 2009 Best Music Poll was announced yesterday, and it was much to my delight to find out that the winner is one of my favorite local bands: SexCoffee, a no-holds-barred alt-rock band that has been playing throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts (with a handful of appearances in New York, as well) for the past six years.

Perhaps best known for their high-energy live shows, SexCoffee’s debut album was released in 2007, a 10-track gem titled The Drink You Paid For. The band’s sound, which ranges from garage rock (”Last Night”) to alternative pop rock (”Cover My Eyes”), is expertly paired with lead singer Ruth Charbonneau’s velvety mezzo-soprano voice. The foursome, described as “good to the last drop” by Limelight Magazine, consists of Sharlene DeNardo (bass), Paul Campbell (drums), and Rick Gallego (guitar) backing Charbonneau’s in-your-face vocals. An extremely dynamic group, SexCoffee defies genre characterization, drawing from a varied selection of influences to create a unique blend sure to please listeners of diverse tastes.

SexCoffee has received quite a bit of attention of late (and rightly so): in addition to winning the Providence Phoenix’s contest, SexCoffee is also one of 10 bands chosen in the past week to compete in the BostonMusicSpotlight.com Battle of the Bands talent competition. Regardless of these successes, SexCoffee will continue to play at smaller venues like Club Hell, The Blackstone, and Ralph’s Diner. Music aside, one of the best qualities that SexCoffee displays is the attitude of its band members, each of whom has as much genuine interest in melodic detail and compelling lyrics as in providing fans with an accessible, high-energy, fun and memorable performance. An extremely approachable and friendly bunch, Sharlene, Paul, Rick and Ruth are always excited to meet fans of the band, and aren’t above sharing a conversation and a beer before a gig.

As winner of the Best Breakthrough Act in Providence, SexCoffee will play with the Rustic Overtones at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI on August 12th. The BostonMusicSpotlight battle of the bands is scheduled to take place Friday, Sept. 18th at the Cask’n Flagon outside of Fenway Park in Boston, MA. SexCoffee also has gigs scheduled at various spots in MA and RI through October (including a September 5th CD release party for The Morning After EP in Pawtucket, RI), so there are plenty of opportunities to check them out if you live in or are visiting the New England area.

You will enjoy SexCoffee if you like: Alanis Morissette, No Doubt, The Cranberries, Garbage, Pearl Jam, Letters to Cleo, Tool, Audioslave, The Red Hot Chili Peppers…

For more information on SexCoffee, the band members, upcoming tour dates, or to purchase The Drink You Paid For or pre-order The Morning After EP, head over to the band’s Web site: www.sexcoffeetheband.com. Not sure you’ll like SexCoffee? Check out the leadoff single from The Morning After EP, “Damascus”, as well as several representative selections from The Drink You Paid For, on the band’s MySpace page (www.myspace.com/SexCoffee). Like what you hear? Fandomania will have an exclusive interview with the band posted sometime in the next month or so, and will also have a review of their live show with the Rustic Overtones at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel on August 12th. - Fandomania.com

SEXCoffee could be on their way to something bigger.

A handful of Phoenix readers questioned the parameters of what exactly defined a "Breakthrough Act" in our recent Best Music Poll, decided in dominant fashion by alt-rock quartet SEXCoffee. What exactly constitutes a band playing together for six years as finally "breaking through?" Well, it isn't titled "Best "New" Act," if that helps. The band, however, seemed to get the point.

"We have been an established band for quite awhile, [but] our popularity seems to have risen significantly within the past year," SEXCoffee drummer Paul Campbell said via email this week. "We were very surprised and excited by the BMP victory."

Years ago, bassist Sharlene DeNardo answered an ad from Ruth Charbonneau, who was looking to start an all-female folk-rock band. The duo reconfigured and added Campbell and guitarist Rick Gallego, and the foursome eventually released their 2007 full-length debut The Drink You Paid For.

That said, SEXCoffee could be on their way to something bigger with their second official release, The Morning After (both available at iTunes), a five-track EP that more fully demonstrates the band's overall talents. They anticipate a packed house for their CD release party at the Blackstone come Saturday, with supporting help from hand-picked, female-fronted openers VulGarrity and the Chelsy Lau Band. SEXCoffee debuted some new, Vinny Paz-approved stuff at the recent BMP party at Lupo's. "We took a band photo with him and gave him a T-shirt — it was great," said Gallego, who noted that the band was "definitely nervous, but more excited than anything" prior to their first time on the Lupo's stage. Some initial jitters were quickly shurgged off, and their heavy-hitting new stuff kept the crowd engaged.

Skimming through SEXCoffee's laundry-list of '9os rock influences like Letters to Cleo and Alanis Morissette should come as no surprise upon hearing the debut record. Charbonneau has never played the babe-in-the-woods routine — witness the Sleater-Kinney-style romp of "Last Night" into the brooding "Cover My Eyes," where she sneeringly delivers couplets such as "I'll teach you how a man's supposed to be/I'll lift you up until I set you free." While there are no newfound chords or groundbreaking techniques on The Morning After, the muscular guitars and levels in-the-red have brought the band new life, pinning the throttle early on with openers "Damascus" and "Love, Lust," easily the best entry in their current catalog. Gallego's big drop-D tunings provide a fitting backdrop to Charbonneau's spirited and sexy venom. Both "Nothing Left" and "Tasty" settle in before busting out on the hooks, and Charbonneau sticks to the game plan with her take-no-shit attitude while displaying an improved, more dynamic vocal range.

Gallego reports a nationwide tour remains a priority and confidently reports the band will "definitely be looking into labels with the new release.

"This EP gives everyone a better idea as to what the SEXCoffee sound is all about," he said.

SEXCoffee continues to receive left-coast love from the Cali-based WomenRockRadio.com, where the band has been in rotation and will stream an interview with the quartet on September 4.

As for the band name, DeNardo explained:
"Ruth came up with the name three years ago while trying to sum up the dating scene. The phrase 'Would you like to come up for coffee?' stuck out to us as a double-meaning for something other than just 'Coffee.' - Chris Conti - The Providence Phoenix

By JASON KENNEY
Special Writer
March 13, 2008 2:10 PM

LAKEVILLE — Those who listen to the weekly radio show "Soundcheck" on 94.1 WHJY might have heard the songs "Last Night" or "Cover My Eyes" from the band SexCoffee. What you might not know is the band includes 23-year-old Paul Campbell of Lakeville on drums and background vocals.

While the name of the band may be an eye-opener for some, Mr. Campbell said the band’s singer, Ruth Charbonneau, came up with the name because she wanted something that was edgy, something people would remember. He said that shouldn’t turn people away from their music, which critics compare to The Pretenders and Fleetwood Mac — only with a harder and more modern sound.

Mr. Campbell, who moved to Lakeville five years ago after his Taunton home burned to the ground in a devastating fire, said the band was originally called 5fox4 and consisted of a completely different lineup. He said Ms. Charbonneau started the band when she was a student at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. While she was majoring in psychology and elementary education, Ms. Charbonneau spent a lot of time in the college’s music department and eventually put up flyers on campus asking if anyone was interested in starting a band with her.

Since she only got responses from females, Ms. Charbonneau started 5fox4, but their drummer quit after only a year in the band. With a need for a new drummer, a mutual friend of both Mr. Campbell and the band recommended him as a temporary stand-in and before long he became their permanent replacement.

"Basically, their drummer had quit and they needed a replacement right away so my friend who knew the band asked if I was interested in filling in and I told him to tell them I was," said Mr. Campbell, who began taking drum lessons in the seventh grade after playing the piano for a number of years. "So, I went to a couple of practices, learned the songs quickly, and I ended up filling in and I never really left the band."

Sharlene DeNardo, the bassist for 5fox4 and SexCoffee, said as soon as she heard him play at practice she knew he would be a good fit for the band.

"We liked him so much that we decided to keep him," she said.

With the addition of Mr. Campbell on drums and later his high school friend Rick Gallego on guitar, the band changed its name to SexCoffee and quickly gained a loyal and dedicated following across New England, creating a unique sound that entertains a broad range of listeners and fans alike.

After playing original material and cover songs at a number of clubs in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the band decided it was time to release a full-length album. So they headed into the recording studio and hired Raymond Jeffrey, of Liberty and Union Recording Company in Taunton to produce, mix and engineer the album.

"He was a lot of fun to work with," said Mr. Campbell about Mr. Jeffrey, who has done work with the Boston-based Dropkick Murphys. "He was very professional and had a good sense of humor. It was just a great experience."

SexCoffee released their debut album, "The Drink You Paid For," in May 2007. Mr. Campbell said people can relate to the songs because they deal with human interactions, significant others, family members and even college roommates.

"The lyrics are pretty wide spread and, because we’re so different and have so many different musical tastes, there’s a good opportunity that at least somebody out there can relate to our music," he said.

With the album receiving considerable airplay on several popular FM radio stations, including 104.1 WBCN, 95.5 WBRU, 102.9 WPXE, and the aforementioned WHJY, the band started to play bigger clubs and venues. They were also asked to be one of the opening acts for Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime at the historic Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI, on Dec. 28 of last year.

"Opening up for them was incredible," said Mr. Campbell. "It was our first really big show and it was definitely the most amount of people we’ve played for. Rick and I had done theater in high school before and we haven’t really had a turnout like that since. It was kind of nice."

While the members of the band all get along well with each other, the band’s manager, Rene Dupont, said Mr. Campbell’s work ethic and drumming abilities are second to none.

"Paul’s greatest strength is that he strives for excellence while making sure to have fun at the same time," he said. "Paul is incredibly modest about his playing ability and is constantly working towards a new goal. He’s versatile and an integral part of what this band stands for."

In addition to the band, Mr. Campbell is currently a senior at UMass Dartmouth with a major in marketing. He will be graduating in the fall and regardless of the job he gets after college, he wants to do something in the field of music.

"I’m a very busy person. I go to school full-time, work about 24 hours a week (at Sprint), and I’m the drummer for the band SexCoffee," he said. "I want to see where the band goes after I graduate. But if I get to do anything associated with music, that would be a blessing for me."

To catch Mr. Campbell performing live with SexCoffee, upcoming shows include Friday, March 14, at the Bridge Street Station in Fairhaven; Friday, March 28, at Copperfields in Boston; and Wednesday, April 2 at UMass Dartmouth. - Middleboro Gazette

NEW BEDFORD — For our fall 2007 issue of "Limelight Magazine," we did a feature story on the band SexCoffee, a four piece alternative rock quartet that critics compare to The Pretenders and Fleetwood Mac - only with a harder and more modern sound. While I never got to see the band perform live before we interviewed them for the story, I have been meaning to see them at some point after the issue came out.

Now almost six months later, I finally got to see this tight knit band on Feb. 16 at the Bull Pen in New Bedford. Playing an hour and 15 minute set of mostly original songs from their debut album "The Drink You Paid For" and three cover songs, the band packed a punch that was even better than a morning "cup of joe" with extra sugar.

The band, consisting of Ruth Charbonneau on vocals, Sharlene DeNardo on bass, Rick Gallego on guitar and Paul Campbell on drums, had a great stage presence that many bands today lack. From the opening song "Cold Shoulder" to the set closer, "Love Lust" (a brand new tune), it was clear that SexCoffee had been doing a lot of touring over the past year to promote their debut CD, as they sounded like a veteran touring act rather than a band that’s been around for almost two years.

Charbonneau had a good voice and offered unscripted pronouncements in between songs, even giving away a free SexCoffee thong to one of the most lively members of the audience who interestingly was there to see the hard rocking opening act TooBoKou. As to the rest of the band, Gallego played nifty guitar with extended solos on some songs, Campbell’s drumming was solid, and DeNardo was equally impressive on bass.

While most of the original songs, such as "Last Night and "Two Shades of Grey" rightfully stayed true to the CD version, the selection of cover songs was a real surprise, ranging from Paula Abdul’s pop smash hit "Straight Up" to Billy Idol’s "Rebel Yell," which was clearly a tribute to the punk and new wave subculture of the late ’70s and early ’80s. SexCoffee’s final cover song was a killer version of the Eddie Money classic "Take Me Home Tonight" which had the crowd not only on their feet, but those at the adjacent bar rushing to the dance floor to join in on the fun.

For the original songs, "Addiction" and "Cover My Eyes" were my favorites to see live and "Moocher" was another gem. I’m hoping to hear this song on 94.1 WHJY’s "Soundcheck" in the future, as most people can relate to the story of being taken advantage of by a roommate or someone else.

In short, SexCoffee has fleshed out its own identity in the crowded local music scene, presenting much-needed variety in the "alternative rock" music genre. They are talented performers who take their musicianship seriously. At the Bull Pen on this cold February night, they cultivated the band’s loyal following while picking up new fans in the process with a fun show. I’ll drink to that. - Limelight Magazine

It Was the Best of Times (left) and SEXCoffee took the stage at Club Hell this past Sunday, accompanied by Baby Boy H and 3D Mystery. 3D Mystery started the show; they played with talent and tenacity, but seemed to lack direction with their sound. Next was Baby Boy H, who played a powerful set of meaty metal. Lead singer Bridge was particularly impressive with her ability to transition well between singing and screaming fluidly. It Was the Best of Times performed third, with a short but strong and energetic set that left the crowd wanting more. SEXCoffee took the stage last, bringing with them charisma and wit that they displayed both in songs and while bantering on stage between songs. Their music was good and their set was fun, but dragged on just a bit too long - after all, it was late on a Sunday night. In general, though, the night’s performances were well worth the hike down from WBRU. Check out more photos below. - Travis of 95.5 WBRU

Recording a new album can be a long, grueling, process.

Just ask New England’s own alternative rock group SexCoffee.

The quartet is currently in the studio putting down the finishing touches on their second CD, which as of right now, is nameless.

“We decided collectively as a group to keep this album nameless until we pick a winner from our ‘Name the EP’ contest,” said SexCoffee manager Rene Dupont. “We felt that this would be a great way to keep our fans involved with our newest record. We’ve received so many submissions already.”

The album is set to be released by the fall of 2009 as the group plans to officially launch their latest EP on September 4, at The Blackstone in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. According to lead vocalist Ruth Charbonneau, the long hours in the studio will be well worth it once this record is finished.

“Putting an album together can be tedious, there’s no doubt about that,” she said of the whole recording process. “We’re always working together on ideas and we all stay at it until it’s done right. All of the hard work we’ve put in will be well worth it once the final product comes out.”

According to the group, this new album will be a little different from their last one.

“The songs on this new EP are way more powerful than the ones on our last one,” explained guitarist Rick Gallego. “Some of our fans thought that our last album could have been a little harder, so we got back into the studio and used their feedback as a way to improve ourselves.”

Bassist Sharlene DeNardo believes that the overall quality has vastly improved in this new album.

“With this new record we’re finishing up, I can tell that not only are our lyrics more powerful, but our musicianship as a group has been dead on,” she said. “This album will feature six songs and each one just sounds amazing.”

One the main reasons as to why Sex Coffee considers themselves to be one of the premier bands in New England is due to the fact that they not only have a strong work ethic, but also have a strong relationship with their fans.

“We always put 110% into whatever we do and we continue to be successful because of that,” said Gallego. “We’re one of the only bands in the area that has a full-time manager. Rene is so driven to succeed and he always makes sure that we’re on task.”

Those sentiments were shared by drummer Paul Campbell.

“We’ve matured so much over the years and have grown together as a group. I think that our fans will be able to see this when you hear our new songs because they’re all very intricate,” said Campbell.

This up-coming summer, the band will find itself touring rigorously, with dates already booked not only throughout New England, but New York City as well.

“We love playing live and whether it’s at Lupos in front of a few thousand, or at some small nightclub in front of three, you’re going to get a great show,” acknowledged Dupont. “The group’s songs have all meshed so well on this new album and I can’t wait to see them go out there and perform them live.”

If you would like to find out if Sex Coffee is performing in a town near you, you are urged to check out their website at www.sexcoffeeband.com. - Ian Abreu - Limelight Magazine

Thursday May 7th I was right back down on Westminster again, this time at the Providence Black Repertory Company for the SEXCoffee and Fungus Amungus show. Providence Sound Sessions is a week long, genre-defying music festival hosted at various venues throughout the city, during the preceding months they hold rounds of voting in person and on line to determine the festival’s lineup for the year. This provided me a great opportunity to check out Fungus Amungus, whom I’ve heard so much about, as well as SEXCoffee, a band of whom I’d heard very little. Working a bit later than usual for the day, I was rather rushed in getting ready and heading downtown, nary a moment to eat. Once I’d secured parking and meandered my way towards the Black Rep, cigarette in hand, I realized my only dining option before my destination would be Tazza Cafe.

As I stood at the door, polishing off my over taxed cigarette, I heard a honk and a cat call in my direction. Zach Fenner, Fungus’ guitarist, was just pulling up to load equipment, we caught up for a bit and I informed him of my burger intentions before heading over and he assured me I had plenty of time. As I’d said earlier, I’d be bumping into these guys quite a bit this week, both Zach and Joe Jannerelli played for Gravity Works and Fungus Amungus. I ordered a Hawaiian burger, a heavenly creation of teriyaki marinated, grilled pineapple, and Monterey jack cheese atop a black Angus beef. Needless to say it was delectable, I had another Dogfish 90 minute IPA to wet my whistle as I wolfed down the burger. I cleared my tab and headed next door (practically) to the Black Rep to find I had made haste in waste, the music was starting later than anyone had anticipated and various band members were scrambling to find a less expensive watering hole in the meantime. Zach and I took a stroll and bull shat for a bit, discussing the process for getting into the Sound Sessions as well as how busy he was with all his musical projects. We arrived back to find that SEXCoffee was sound checking, I grabbed a drink and made my way to a table near the stage.

SEXCoffee is a hard alt/rock band with a hint of punk, consisting of Ruth as lead vocalist, Rick on guitar, Sharlene on bass and Paul on drums. Coming out the gate strong Ruth established her stage presence early, with strong vocals and some warm up stage moves and poses she was playing to the audience there early for their set. Playing their instruments well each other member lent backing vocals to the first track, “Damascus :”

Starting slowly with just Ruth singing and Rick lending some tender guitar, about 30 seconds in the band jumped in and the picked up the pace. Their second song featured a heavier drums, a more driving bass line and more intricate guitar work. The following song seemed geared for Sharlene to show off her bass skills. Rick started off with some soft guitar tones and continued through the song with a cool riff, which showcased when Sharlene hopped in with her hammer ons, sliding down and up the neck of her bass for “Tasty:”

Paul had some of his busiest fills of the night during this song, and Ruth started to get into the set a bit more moving around on stage a bit more during the musical interludes. Around this point in the set Ruth spotted a friend of hers and turned to the band, then broke into a great version of what I think was a hip-hop cover. Later dedicating it to her friend in attendance. After I finished my applause I’d noticed I’d also finished my glass of sangria and decided to make my way back over to the bar and ran into more familiar faces from earlier in the week. Desiring some nicotine and some quieter conversation I stepped out for a butt and relaxed a bit while SEXCoffee was still performing. I got back in time to record another one from them “Love, Lust:”

It was another number with some good rocking tones and cool guitar riffs. Overall I enjoyed the set from SEXCoffee, not something I would normally seek, but would enjoy seeing them play out again if the chance presented itself. - Sully's Cafe Music Blog