The Amends

Sometimes a girl needs to rock. She needs guitars that make her scream, drums that give her a danceable beat, a bass that digs so far inside her bones they vibrate in time and a sexy voice that already knows what she’s doin’ after the show. She needs a rock band.

Cue The Amends.

Their second full length album, What We Could Be, is a meld of rock and other musical influences that come together in a cool layered sound, kind of like someone crossed INXS with Joe South and then slipped in a little punk while no one was looking.

My favorites are Come and See, for reasons I won’t mention because I really try to keep a PG rating on the blog, Big City Way for the epic clashing guitar-keyboards-drums ending and A Certain Speed for it’s awesome punk driven guitars. I also like, oh, everything else on the album.

You all should go and buy this album. Seriously, like right now. If you need a little more to go on, check out the full preview of What We Could Be below:

In addition to the new album, I am also stoked because Tyler and Drew (Tyler Taylor, Drew Weikart) were nice enough to take some time and answer a few of my questions.

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Kit - I hear a lot of different musical influences in your songs. What bands would you all list as your biggest influences?

DREW : In general, mostly blues and classic rock, but some newer indie stuff, too. Rolling Stones, Black Keys, RHCP, The Strokes, Chuck Berry, My Morning Jacket, Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn.

TYLER : Weirdly, in many ways my all-time favorite bands and my main influences are different. I can’t say my absolute favorites– like Radiohead and Bob Dylan for example– much influence the songs that I write. I couldn’t even begin to write songs like them. That’s a non-answer, I know. So in general, I’m influenced by indie rock and classic rock. Classic rock is where Drew and my tastes really overlap, and then he brings the blues influence and I bring the indie rock side.

Kit - You guys have been very open about your creative process with your fans – even to releasing unfinished versions of your songs and asking for feedback. Is it hard to give people outside the band input on your songs?

TYLER and DREW : It’s not hard, because we’re not beholden to take every piece of advice we hear. But it’s sometimes good to be able to step outside ourselves, and see what other people think, to get an outside perspective. Sometimes we think we have something good, but we’re too close to it, and we can’t be sure. Sometimes people tell us we’re crazy. The music industry is obviously kind of a mess these days– a lot of it due to new technology. But there are advantages that technology brings as well, one of them being the ability to connect directly with fans. Another invaluable one for us is the ability– if we want to– to record pretty much everything we do, every practice, every writing session. In some ways it makes us lazy, but in other ways it allows us to always be able to go back and find that what snippet of a song we played that we forgot.

Kit - You guys (Tyler and Drew) have two very different voices. How do you decide who will sing any given song?

TYLER : After our last album, Drew and I talked about trying to nail down an “Amends song (or sound)”. We love rock n roll of all kinds, so it was hard to focus on a certain kind of sound. But we knew that we’d have to do that at least to some extent in order for people to know what we’re about. And one thing we decided that would help that was for Drew to be the sole lead singer– keep that sound cohesive at least. I do a bit of backup still. And besides, I secretly kind of dislike singing if I’m being honest, especially in front of other people.

Kit – Which song (or songs) do you guys enjoy playing live the most?

DREW : The ones that are more Rock/Blues rock. I feed off of higher energy live, and also when I can let loose on guitar. I sometimes find myself dreading performing the slower songs, but when we get through a few, and I know rock ones are coming up, I get a feeling of excitement and relief. I love the slower ones on our albums, but when we do them live, sometimes it feels like they can take away some of the energy. A lot of them start slow and build and we have to figure out how to work those kind in.

Kit – What do you guys do when you aren’t playing or writing songs?

DREW : I listen to music. I drink. I work. I watch movies and I play and watch sports. It seems simple, but there is alot of excitement that comes from that. Except for work.

TYLER : Unfortunately, for the time being, we both have day jobs. But besides that, I write a lot. I write fiction in addition to music. I travel a lot– which you can kind of see in that video for A Certain Speed. Hiking, backpacking, and other typical Colorado stuff. I love scuba diving too, but I obviously don’t get to do that too much here. And I’m a huge St Louis Cardinals fan, ever since I was a kid.

Kit – It’s a brand new year and a brand new album – What are you guys looking forward to in 2013?

TYLER: We’re working on putting together our first tour right now. If that’s successful, we’ll do another. We hope to start writing some new songs again soon. And beyond that, we just want to try to get our music out to as many people as possible.

DREW: We are looking forward to taking our music career to the next level. It’s our passion, it’s what we want to do, but we feel stuck in the circle of working our day jobs, while also trying to be musicians, and ultimately that doesn’t work. So we want to break out of that. Make the leap. - Words... Music... Baseball

“My life is only half real,” admits Drew Weikart of Colorado band, The Amends, as he discusses the band’s latest album, What We Could Be, which was released on January 8th, 2013. Balancing just off the tip of the New Year and still brushing ourselves off after the Mayan cataclysm of December 21, 2012, many of us are likely to agree. The pursuit of a vision, however absurd, is certainly among the top resolutions our collective consciousness will be capsuling this year. When it comes to The Amends, they understand the urgency of following their passions and hope to share this message with anyone who will hear.
Entering the Colorado rock scene in 2010, The Amends consist of Shay Byington, Chris Childress, Tyler Taylor, and Drew Weikart. The band is now poised to take over North America, having already developed a loyal following in their home-state. Their self-titled debut release in July of 2011 quickly garnered positive attention and promised solid development for future albums. Various specimens of rock scions, from angsty garage to sophisticated blues, weaved through their composition and begged to be explored.
Now that their second full-length album is freshly available for mass ingestion, they are setting their sights on greater projects. They have their secrets too, slyly revealing that ominous symbolism was present in their album name and artwork. After having his mind and heart thoroughly pried apart, Tyler slipped in a passing mention of “interesting ideas about large-headed “men” in space helmets” which could only serve to further the mystery enshrouding this elusive band from the mountains. The enigmatic Chris Childress and studious Shay Biyington were occupied elsewhere, so Drew and Tyler were the only members of the band available for interview.

WBM: In favor of convention, we’ll start at the beginning. State your name, role in the band, and three all-encompassing words (brand-names are unacceptable) that will best introduce you to the world.
DREW: Vocals & lead guitar, plus the occasional harmonica – Rock, Work, Play
TYLER: Keys, rhythm guitar, backing vocals – Write, Travel, Music
WBM: You wouldn’t associate most rock bands with implied righteous intentions. Why pick such a name for the band? Are you compensating for something?
DREW: I think we are all compensating for something, life is filled with regrets and bad decision made, so I think it has a universal and relatable meaning, especially with music.
TYLER: This is gonna be wordy. In all honesty, we debated over names for months. We would decide on one and then find out it was taken. Or two of us would like one and someone else would veto it. And we decided not to go down the path of just putting two random words that sounded good together. It’s a shitty time to try to name a band. It’s almost like trying to find a new chord progression. Not gonna happen. When “The Amends” came up, we all decided that it would work for us. It felt appropriately weighty, and actually had some relation to the lyrics on some of our songs—working through past regrets, et cetera. Maybe it would be a better name for an emo band, but I think we’re growing into it. There’s also a much darker, unspoken implication of the name that we only refer to vaguely in our logo and album/EP artwork. And of course, it’s also meant as a reminder for the wider world to make peace with their loved ones before the ancient Olmec gods return in 2017. Plus, there’s this, from the liner notes of our first album (and from a song I wrote a long time ago):
We’ve got a lot to be sorry for, but we’ve forgotten the specifics.
We live by the mountains, but we’re adrift in the Pacific
They say you’ve gotta swim with the sharks to get back to the shore
But we’ve been swimming so long we don’t think of land anymore
We’re accustomed to these dark shapes writhing underneath
And we’re learning how to sharpen our own sets of teeth

WBM: How did The Amends come to be? Tell us about how you met.
DREW: Tyler and I met through our job in Boulder at an internet startup about three or so years ago. We began sharing music from past projects and decided we could have an interesting musical synergy with our different influences. We’d both already written a bunch of songs. Plus we didn’t totally hate each other. I had previously met Shay in Boulder, and had jammed with him some.
TYLER: One day Drew came over to my place and we started jamming. “Dance” from our first album came out of that first session. Drew had already been playing with Shay– who was then a music student at Naropa– and a couple weeks later the three of us started jamming together. We recruited a bassist named Patrick who stayed with us for a few months before he had to stop to focus on school. We found Chris through a music ad on Craigslist and we were impressed by his skill and musicianship. He’s the best pure musician out of any of us. We knew we only had till 2017 to get done everything we wanted to accomplish, so soon after that we began recording our first album.
WBM: Where do you like to write your music? Do you travel, in or outside of your state?
DREW: We write a lot of music within the plastic-coated walls of my dungeon-like basement (Which made cameo appearances in the two videos we filmed — TYLER) We do travel a lot for work, so inspiration does strike on planes and in hotels, also, the cities I go to have inspired my music. But there is one mecca for inspiration that can never be matched, that’s the shower. Warm water and solidarity is the ultimate musical muse.
TYLER: We all live in Colorado, but only Chris is actually from here. Drew is from Minnesota, I’m from the St. Louis area, and Shay from the San Juan Islands in Washington. Not many people in Colorado are actually from here– and that’s probably going to increase even more with the new pot legalization.
Drew and I both travel a lot for our day jobs. We’re both still in the internet business (laughs). And I travel a lot for fun—as you may be able to tell from our video for “A Certain Speed”. I was in Scotland over the summer, and Central America over Thanksgiving.
WBM: Are any of you studying or doing other work right now? How much of a role does sobriety play in your lives right now?
DREW: We are working way too much, I think that’s the main angst that fuels my blues and energy.
TYLER: Shay’s in a post-grad program now. Drew and I both work. Chris is a full-time musician, in a couple different bands. Neither sobriety nor inebriation are particularly big parts of our lives. Sometimes we drink, sometimes we don’t.

WBM: Let’s flicker across your debut album for a moment. It seems more lyrically heavy than What We Could Be. You made it clear in Depraved that you don’t want to talk about it but can you still expand on, “Love is just a metaphor”?
TYLER: Depraved is a nasty little blues song about an obviously crumbling relationship. I had written the lyrics a while ago after a particularly bad breakup and then we adapted them to the music, which was primarily written by Drew. That line was a wounded person’s attempt to dismiss the entire concept of love as nothing more than a convenient blank slate upon which any meaning can be applied– and also a writer’s distancing defense mechanism. See also Bored & Mean (laughs).
WBM: “Is the cure worse than the disease”? (Real Life, The Amends, 2011)
TYLER: Sometimes it is. We’re pretty sure it will be when the Olmecs return. I’d call it tough love, but I’m not sure there will be much love in what they’ll be doing. “Real Life”, like “More To Give” on the new album, is about escaping an unfulfilling life and trying to work toward the potential you feel you have. It’s a feeling everyone has at some point, I’m sure.
DREW: Still not sure, my life is only half real. I haven’t allowed my passion to take over my life. It’s like inconsistently taking your meds.
WBM: Honing in on your new release, What We Could Be, where were your minds at when you put this album together?
DREW: My mind was in a lot of places. “Am I living life the right way,” “What are other peoples lives like,” “Am I living in the right place,” “How do I hold onto love,” “How do I act in love,” “How can I just let looser”. All sorts of shit like that. My mind is always all over the place.
TYLER: Our minds were in a lot of different places, but we had a unifying theme– we wanted to build on what we’d done for the first album. Make it bigger and louder and catchier, and have more people hear it. We really focused on nailing down a certain sound that we could call our own.
WBM: You kick off the new album with a song not about your own tribulations, bawdy dreams, or vulgar nights on the town, but with a woman who seeks to escape this world. Explain.
DREW: It was me imagining what a girl I know’s life is like, it’s half truth half fiction. It doesn’t always have to be about us.

WBM: In A Certain Speed and Big City Way you definitely pick up on a lifestyle that’s easy for many people to identify with today. You talk about the adrenaline of nightlife, ripping through too fast, and feeling directionless. Is this a truly accurate reflection for any of you?
DREW: God Yes.
TYLER: To me, A Certain Speed is also about the frantic pace of life in general these days. The inability or unwillingness to focus. Too much stimulation, too many bright lights, too many TV shows, all that.
WBM: You briefly mentioned the temptation of settling down in More To Give. Two albums in and there is already a sense of world-weariness?
DREW: There’s always a sense of world weariness inside my head. But that song talks about the internal struggle I have with what kind of life to live, I have had that struggle before this band. How I grew up and certain expectations people have of me do not go hand in hand with being in a rock band, and living that life. It also visits the time in my life where I become immersed in guitar. I see friends with careers, getting married, settling down. I always contemplate doing that as an easy way out on life, but every time I sit and think about the future, I know the regret I would experience the rest of my life, I feel that I have more to give in my life than the standard picket fence route.
TYLER: Drew wrote those lyrics, but to me it’s generally a hopeful song.
WBM: Tick Tock captures the cliché of rock-&-roll’s blasé attitude, as well as a hostile approach to an uncommitted relationship. Tell us about this.
DREW: That song is all about the energy and feel. It’s one of my favorites because so much of life is calculating and perfecting. That one is much simpler and took less effort. It’s more pure in my opinion. From a relationship standpoint, it just describes the confusion, uncertainty, and flip-flopping I have in my feelings and actions.
TYLER: Also, it’s probably important to note that this is the one song whose lyrics we wrote almost entirely in the studio, as we were recording it. We had the music completely done and almost no lyrics. So Drew’s right– it’s pure, and spur of the moment. Much of it was never actually even written down. Just whatever felt right at the time. That’s unusual for us to say the least.

WBM: Is there a particular song off of either album that currently stands as a signature for The Amends?
DREW: I love some, I hate some. And the ones I hate today, I’ll love tomorrow. And vice versa. It’s my nature, I guess. I consider all our uptempo rock and blues rock kind of our signature sound, and then More To Give, too. If we have to choose one song, listen to what Tyler says, he’s better at that.
TYLER: For me, it’s Come & See. It’s got disjointed piano, bluesy guitars, dark lyrics, and that all builds into a massive epic. I wish we could pull that off all the time. Maybe that’s subconsciously what the album title’s about, although really the title isn’t particularly about us as a band.
WBM: How do you feel about sticking around for a while? What are your plans now that your freshly released second album has given us a taste of what, indeed, you could be?
DREW: I feel great about sticking around for a while. As long as people will have us and maybe a bit longer. Our plans are to tour and write more music.
WBM: What do you have to say about those Mayans?
TYLER: Funny you should ask. The Mayans never invented the wheel, so why would they have the ability to predict when the world would end a thousand years into the future. They didn’t build any of that. They moved into the ruins of a powerful, long-gone previous civilization. That’s why there were so many gaps in their knowledge. But we’ve been studying those ancient Olmec prophecies for a long time now, and they have some interesting ideas about large-headed “men” in space helmets arriving in what we would think of as February, 2017 on the shores of the Bay of Campeche. So get ready. Make your amends.

- Why Blue Matters

The second full-length release from this talented band out of the Denver/Boulder area delivers big. It’s a strong album offering a nice meshing of modern Indie Rock with a tasteful mixture of 70's classic rock. These guys pull it off nicely in a diverse offering with a little bit of everything. If they weren’t already on your new music radar, they damn well should be. The Amends unabashedly claim they “just want to be your 11th Favorite Band.” With this release, they just might be on track.

The quartet first caught my attention a few years ago with the addictive ”Dance” off of their eponymous debut album. In What We Could Be, we see the band offering similar songs, as well as displaying a more robust sound. At times, I found myself thinking of 60's Souk, classic 70's British Rock, 80's Southern Rock and 80's Alt-Rock – a bit schizophrenic for sure, but it works.

This is not subtle dinner music, but rather hard driving rock best served over cranking headphones or blasting speakers. It’s true guitar rock with every song offering up a different twist on the band’s powerful creative guitar playing.

I found that the best tracks had a more modern Indie rock feel to them. “A Certain Speed” is a rollicking ride powered by hard driving drums and energetic guitars that evokes memories of The Black Keys. It’s a blast to listen to and a great driving song. The introspective “More To Give” was my favorite track. It’s guided by a sweet piano hook and tender vocals from Drew Weikart. The song is a potential hit with great hopeful lyrics guaranteed to hook you in.

“Second Take” is a soulful rocker with gritty vocals. It’s one of many songs with superb guitar and nice solos. On this one, the guitars ebb and flow nicely before screaming home with a breakneck closing. Tyler Taylor and Weikart are masterful on this one, and throughout the entire album. “Make It So,” is cool garage stomp where a stand out bass line dominates the song coupled nicely with interesting and addictive lyrics.

“It’d Be Nice” offers a nice Southern rock vibe with a killer groove and excellent vocals. This one reminds me of another strong 2013 offering, The Delta Saints’ Death Letter Jubilee. It also conjures up memories of old school Doors and Aerosmith. Another catchy offering is “Dreamer,” a show case for Weikart and an excellent song with a smooth summertime vibe and a fun surf rock feel to it.

The album offers a few slower songs and a couple of jams and they work with mixed results. The best of the slower songs is the tender “When She’s Gone,” a piano driven ballad with nice harmonies. ”Desperate Times” is another choice offering that has a swanky slowed down beat and addictive vocals. It’s one of those tunes that seems likely not to be a smash hit on the radio, but one that will become a timeless classic for fans of the band.

There are a few uninspiring songs on the album, but the great majority are strong offerings well worth a listen. Check out the album below and remember to crank it to 11, I think you’ll like what you hear. You can pick it up on the band’s official site for a ridiculously cheap $5.00! - Rara's Farm

Today, indie rock band from Colorado, The Amends, returned with a brand new record called What We Could Be. The last I posted these guys was their debut self-titled record back in October of 2011 and just like in that post, I'm enjoying their second release too. The band wasted no time as the opening track "Second Take" brings some fiery rock n'roll to your ears. The next 11 tracks keep the rock going and doesn't let up until the album is complete. Stream below and purchase it if you are digging it. - Oh So Fresh

According to Merriam Webster, Rock ‘n’ Roll is defined as… whatever. Fans know the lame dictionary entry only scratches the surface of what really makes a rock band one that, well, rocks. Also, professional speakers and writers know starting with a definition is the John Belushi of introductions. Anyway, The Amends have every box filled on my rock band checklist. Talented singers/musicians – duh. Face melting guitar solos – yep (“Second Take”). Loud drums – uh huh (“A Certain Speed”). A fuck you anthem – got it (“It’d be Nice”). Groovy bass – sure thing (“Tick Tock”). The band clearly knows how to appease an audience. All the bases have been covered in an attempt to make a great rock album. I know the year is young, but when it’s time to bring in the next new year, I have a feeling What We Could Be will be making an appearance on my top albums of the year list. Check it out below. If you like it, support the group and buy it. It’ll be worth it. - Music That Isn't Bad

Thank God for the internet! The digital and social era of music has led me to so many great acts and The Amends are no exception. I came across The Amends Twitter page and their not-so-bold goal of “striving to be your 11th-favorite rock n roll band”, and knew these boys were worth a listen, based on modesty alone- something rare in rock n roll.
This four-piece rock outfit from Boulder, Colorado offers a powerful sound, reminiscent of an earlier era. With obvious rock influences and underlying indie, blues and psychedelic pulls, this is an album that will make you wanna dance, jump and take off your shirt.
The first three tracks on their 2nd full-length studio album What We Could Be, “Second Take”, “A Certain Speed”, and “Big City Way” are tracks fit for a summer stage. They make you sweat, dance and make you wish you were at the original Woodstock.
Like any great rock album, The Amends know when to slow it down. They provide a few slower tracks that are just grungy enough to take you back to those days of backseat make-out sessions and make you want to do it all over again. Songs “Time Goes On” and “When She’s Gone” take down the tempo without losing the rock edge that, at this point in the album, we are already in love with.
My recommendation for THE track to listen to is “Tick Tock” offering a dance-y, rock-fulled experience that you’ll keep turning up. In this song, I hear a very welcome similarity to Toronto indie-darlings The Balconies and I couldn’t give a bigger compliment.
What We Could Be is available tomorrow on the bands website, bandcamp and iTunes in both digital and physical formats. My recommendation? Pick it up. They might not end up being your 11th favourite rock n roll band- I’m willing to bet they’ll end up in the top 5.
You’ll like The Amends if you like: The Black Keys, The Band, Bob Dylan, Jack White - Pull The Plug

2011 was a big year for The Amends; especially after a series of EP releases; the band dropped their debut, self-titled album. Being of a mix of indie rock, blues, alternative, The Amends followed through with the band’s own personal credo: its got to rock! And indeed, this first album does. The bulk of the songs have a great back beat, making them dance-able, but, more so, the band knows how to write catchy guitar hooks, and make the kind of music that’ll have your toes tapping and and your right foot pressing harder on that car’s pedal. The blend of styles here is certainly unique, as you can hear bands like The Strokes, Vampire Weekend, and The Black Crowes emanate from those ten tracks. That’s not to say that this is a band that blatantly wears its influences on its sleeves; instead they have a vision that begins on The Amends.

One instantly notes on the opening track, “Second Take,” that the production value has increased exponentially. At times, The Amends, while impressive for a debut, felt a little amateurish in production, but here, everything is tighter. The song structures overall, have improved and the vision of what this band IS, more intricately defined.

The Amends amp things up, especially on tracks like “A Certain Speed,” which has one of the raunchiest riffs they’ve ever recorded. The guitar fills on that song speak to the band’s maturity, while maintaining their “rock” aesthetic. The beat will certainly have your foot tapping. The subsequent track, “Big City Way,” has a big, sexy bass line, coupled with this “old timey” piano and some heavy riffage. The song is built to feel heavy, and there is this moment toward the end of the song where this raunchy guitar line plays along side the piano, making this past/present comparison that works surprisingly well together. The last two tracks – “Desperate Times” and “Come & See” – pack a hell of a one-two punch to close the album out. “Desperate Times” is a carefree kind of track, with a lazy guitar and the catchiest hook on the album. “Come & See” has a haunting opener, as a piano and Weikart’s vocals echo all over the track, and minimalism provides a vessel for maximum impact. The song unfurls slowly over six plus minutes, but leads to great big choruses, and sprawling guitar solos, in a way that put the band out there like never before.

This is a record to be admired; for the evolution of a band is a fun thing to witness, especially if you’ve been there from the beginning. This is a band that I’ve come to admire, and can’t wait to see what the future brings. Their dream will only become more complex and their execution of that dream more intriguing. What We Could Be is the perfect title for this album, because the possibilities are endless and the results, regardless, enjoyable. On the base of it, this is an album to play again and again and again. Its lyrics urge the listener to sing along and its melodies lead your feet to move. Now, it’s just a matter of time before “What We Could Be” will become “Who We Are.”

The group originally formed in January of 2010 as a product of Boulder, Colorado. The band consists of Drew Weikart on lead guitar/vocals, Tyler Taylor on backing vocals, keyboards, and rhythm guitar, Chris Childress on bass and Shay Byington on drums. The original songwriting team of Weikart and Taylor reprise their roles again, but on their new album - What We Could Be – what comes through is a band that sounds more cohesive; still ready to rock your socks off, but with more tools at their disposal and boy do they know how to use them. - Team Hellions

When Colorado quartet, The Amends, shot their debut self-titled album out of the cannon in July 2011, they took an irreversible stride into a pond seething with what critics like to call “great potential”. Such a moniker is often snidely used as a brush-off for acts that are deemed as unremarkable and easy to dismiss, but The Amends beg to differ as their addictive second album, What We Could Be, truly lives up to the promise heralded in their earlier work.
What We Could Be is projected for an official release date of January 8, 2013, and is guaranteed to deliver an assemblage of tracks that weave between variations of blues and ‘90s alternative rock. The difference is that The Amends are a young and current band that isn’t at the tethered end of the musicians’ careers; this fast-rising Colorado act is one to watch. As soon as the appropriately-named first track Second Take clicks into place with its raunchy slow-burn, it’s easy to tell that What We Could Be is a neat package of contagious tunes that should by all means help push The Amends out of the puddle of potential and into steady delivery.
When the unrelenting feeling of road-rush and anticipating bass of A Certain Speed drives home as the album’s second track, a few improvements made since last year become evident. Drew Weikart has generally tightened his vocals with a more consistent colouring since the stylistic jumble of the 2011 album, thankfully avoiding the clumsy strain that induced a few winces on the album’s third track, Hey Regina. Tyler Taylor takes a cue from the band’s popular 2011 track Bored & Mean by sharply punctuating the rhythms and beat of Chris Childress and Shay Byington with the unmistakable jangling piano of classic rock ‘n’ roll in Big City Way.

The fact that The Amends can’t help but evoke brashly varied alt-rock acts like The Replacements becomes more obvious with the angst-ridden Make It So, the piano-driven melody of When She’s Gone, and the retro grooves of Time Goes On and Dreamer. Contemporary beats popular in indie-rock are well executed in Tick Tock, which is smoothly swept away on Weikart’s somewhat feline snarls, oddly seductive, in It’d Be Nice. Contemporary Americana gets a grin-inducing nod on the eleventh track Desperate Times with a sneaking harmonica. Come & See gives you a taste of The Amends’ ability to genre-bend, with striking post-rock influenced piano reverb and hollow vocals, before blasting you in the face with shiny riffs that live up to a proclamation of “Look alive if you want my time”.
The latter makes for a pleasant surprise in the compilation, teasing for a moment with the possibility of future work that could explore a similar sound. Occasional moments throughout the album may lack vocal refinement or beg for deeper exploration, like more daring riffs, but the improved continuity of What We Could Be over the inaugural album is unarguable. The new album turns out to be groovy enough to dance to. With its breaks and riffs, even head-banging isn’t out of the question. The lyrics are a bit shaggy and it’s not quite a technical opus, but it hits just the right spot.
If The Amends continue to balance new and old sound, and experiment with telling stories that could build their audience, it won’t be long before this band starts exploding, in the best of ways. After the taste-fest of the 2011 album, The Amends, the Colorado four are starting to carve a recognizable sound with tunes that burrow their way into your brain until you can’t help but hum them out. Until critics farther removed from the Boulder and Denver scene recognize the worth of The Amends, What We Could Be will remain the kind of album to which you could easily remember hanging out of the back of a spinning truck or lying spread-eagle on a rickety cottage dock with the obligatory mix of good friends and strong beer. - Why Blue Matters

Boulder/Denver-based local rock darlings The Amends are back again. When I first heard them in July of 2011, I was throttled with the potent, catchy nature of their indie-punk-pop-power aesthetic. They released their first full-length album soon thereafter, and once more, I was floored. So no wonder I was so happy to hear that they'd be releasing their second album on January 8th. That album is called What We Could Be. Many bands, on album 2, experience something called a sophomore slump. Usually it is attributed to having less than a lifetime to write a new set of songs, and putting all of one's band eggs into the basket that was most popular from album 1. Luckily, The Amends don't have to worry about that because it's just about impossible to hit a moving target. While the quality, power pop strains of great, memory-grabbing rock music remain, What We Could Be, hits harder into realms of psychedelia, blues rock, Southern rock and garage grunge.

A track like "Big City Way" for instance feels like a Black Keys, The Band, Bon Jovi, Led Zeppelin massive blow out. The Amends revels in pushing the volume to eleven and grinding out long, beautiful, artistic bridges and instrumentals. Don't get comfy there because the very next track, "More to Give" feels like classic Joe Jackson, though without the glossy production of the '80s. Also, it breaks open like a volcano at the end. Yet, "Make It So" is a bouncy, bass-driven bit of post-Strokes garage rock, with some excellent insights on the distractions of youth and the wastefulness of listlessness. Then "Time Goes On" happens. It's a gorgeous high school dance of a track, sad, plodding and dressed in a careful riff that is both wallowing and ceaselessly hopeful. "Tick Tock" changes the pace again, alternating almost spoken-word verses with fantastic slinky lead guitar work.

So, here's the thing, What We Could Be, is a love letter, a wish, a dirge, a celebration and an apology. But that's just the lyrics. Musically, this is close to the rock heyday stuff of the late '60s and '70s, with style to spare. The Amends dabble in a lot of sub-genres here, and rather than creating a series of pleasant homages, they apply a unique spin that makes each style their own. "It'd Be Nice" appears at surface to be a basic chugging blues-rock track, but incredible vocal style, witty, caustic lyrics and the vibe that this band is really enjoying themselves sets it far apart. If you don't check out this second album, you're a goddamn fool. There I said it. And I won't take it back. You can stream it free at The Amends's bandcamp site starting on January 8. You can also download it for $5, or order up the physical album.

Support local music. These Colorado boys are making good. - Gas Lantern Media

The best rock makes us feel as though we could live forever, and the following album generates that feeling and spirit. I listen to the tracks and feel young and wild and invincible; as though I could throw myself, kicking, punching and screaming at the world and win.

The Amends is the debut release from Colorado-based indie rock band The Amends.

The band consists of Drew Weikart on vocals and lead guitar, Tyler Taylor on vocals, guitar and keyboard, Chris Childress on bass and Shay Byington on drums.

This is a non-label release but the production values are good and the guys have put together a cool sound. I like Depraved, a fun rock tune with some nice shred and Dance, with its kind of Ramones-ish beat and tempo that makes me want to lace up a pair of high tops, shimmy into a sparkly tank top and dance all night.

Drew has this sexy, sort of Michael Hutchence thing going on with his voice that I very much appreciate. It is most noticable on Real Life (which also has awesome drums) but there are undertones of it on Don’t Tell Him and some of the other tracks as well.

The guitars on Dandelion Man are beautiful and make a nice counterpoint to Tyler’s rough voice when he sings ”whoever thought that air could weigh so much?” He sings as though it hurts a little to get the words out and it just sounds so good.

The guys get experimental on Fall My Way, a rap and rockabilly fusion. (Hey, I didn’t know it was possible either) The rockabilly thing pops up again in the keyboards for Bored and Mean while the best drums of the list are on Down in the Water. The only flaw on the album is Hotel Lobby, which is kind of blah and doesn’t match the skill and passion of the other songs. It doesn’t wreck the album though as the rest of the tracks are still awesome.

Check out The Amends bandcamp page where you can stream the album, buy singles for a buck or d/l the entire album for $8.00. Also check out videos from the band on their ReverbNation artist page.

- Words... Music... Baseball

The Amends are an example of the great indie rock scene coming out of Colorado. Their brand new LP is full of high energy original anthems driven by keys, guitar, and percussion. Songs such as "Hey Regina" and "Bored And Mean" mostly stick to a typical indie rock sound, but still have an original and unique feel in both the performance and lyrics. To check out their new album, visit http://www.soundcloud.com/theamends - The Indie Reviewer

I recently received an email from one Tyler Taylor, the frontman of a new band right here in Colorado. Tyler (vocals, guitar) and fellow song writer Drew Welkart (lead guitar, vocals) are joined by Chris Childress (bass) and Shay Byington (bass) to form The Amends, a four-piece rock and roll group based out of Boulder. The band started playing together just last year, but they are off to a speedy start; they play regular shows in both Denver and Boulder and are due to release an album this July. Tyler sent me links to some of the yet-to-be mastered tracks from their upcoming album which you can check out here.

The Amends have a fast-paced traditional rock-and-roll style with a little bit of an indie twist. They list such influences as the White Stripes and Bob Dylan. Their melodic piano and guitar lines carry their songs while the percussion section drives the pace and the pounding bass line knits the three together. You can't help but dance to the aptly named 'Dance' (click to listen) Ignore the lyrics and The Amends are a jam band you won't be able to resist rocking out to. Stop and listen closer and you'll recognize the raw emotion written into each verse. 'Hey Regina' is a great example.

I'll be keeping an eye on their website, as well as their show calendar. You can catch them next at D-Note on July 1st. - Ultra 5280

The Amends are a rock-n-roll band that revels in being a rock-n-roll band. The quartet plays guitars, bass, keys and drums with the glee of four youngsters who just discovered their dad’s record collection. Hopping freely from garage rock to blues to punk to indie pop, frontman and guitarist Drew Weikart, keyboardist/guitarist Tyler Taylor, bassist Chris Childress and drummer Shay Byington prove they’ve done their homework and honed their chops to the point where they can passionately and convincingly master nearly any permutation of good ol’ rock-n-roll.

In fact, if there’s one thing wrong with the Amends self-titled debut album, it’s that the band seems to lack a cohesive sound. They’re so busy trying on other people’s hats that they lost their heads. Nevertheless, this powerful debut introduces a band that promises great things. Steal “Fall My Way” for a taste of what the Amends can do. - Reverb/Denver Post

Every track’s a winner on this lively album.Great guitarwork from Andrew Weikart and Chris Childress,super drumming from Shay Byington,and neat vocals from both Weikart and band’s founder/leader Tyler Taylor.All band members hail from Boulder,Colorado.

This band were formed in 2010 and this is their debut album.They have been playing for just over a year and the album was released on July 18th 2011.There are varied influences on this CD-amongst them are classic rock(Black Sabbath being one of them),indie and blues.

Ten tracks comprise this album.Personal faves include Fall My Way,with some great Paul Rodgers-style vocal and stunning guitarwork,and Dandelion Man,which made me think of The Eagles in its pace and tone,with its neat and tidy drumming sequence and slightly emotionally manic vocals.Don’t Tell Him also ticks all the right boxes with me.

If there IS a weak track on the album,then for me it has to be Hotel Lobby.Bit predictable,this track…..but no matter. Otherwise, this is a faultless first album from The Amends.

Unsigned,this band should have many offers from record labels in the not too distant future.The album cover’s good too- a moody black and white shot of a stormy sea and skyline.The album is available for purchase on the bandcamp site.

The Amends began playing gigs in their hometown since December 2010.They are “starting small”. - Comfort Comes

Why you should listen to them: Their rock 'n roll-indie-alternative-blues is just plain fun to listen to. Taylor's keyboards combined with the driving percussion and fast, shredding guitar riffs make for the perfect act you want to see live.

Their mantra: "We've got a lot to be sorry for, but we've forgotten the specifics. We live by the mountains, but we're adrift in the Pacific. They say you've got to swim with the sharks to get back to the shore, but we've been swimming so long we don't think of land anymore. We're accustomed to these dark shapes writhing underneath, and we're learning how to sharpen our own sets of teeth." — Taken from the inside cover of their album. - Metromix Denver

I recently received an e-mail from the members of The Amends and I have to say right away that I am very impressed. I am typically quite wary of music sent to me by e-mail yet I am always on the lookout for great new music and a person never really knows where that music is going to come from – so for the most part I try to listen to everything that comes into my box.
Due to this hesitation and lack of any real expectations I find it that much more satisfying when I do come upon something that gets me truly excited.

Right now, The Amends have me excited.

So, they sent me a link to a free EP which can be downloaded here and it is really fantastic. The first track, Dance, starts off like a hundred punkish type songs before it and I was expecting a cookie cutter outing with these four songs, until the opening shifts into a highly accessible and instantly catchy verse and chorus. The energy is streaming through the track and continues through the rest of the EP as the momentum shifts up and down with slick guitar solos, piano driven emotion, and vocals that match it all perfect.

The Amends have listed that their upcoming full length album will be released on July 23rd with a CD release show at Meadowlark in Denver, Colorado.

This is a band that has great potential and I am looking forward to hearing the new album and posting a full review. - Fake Plastic Tunes

If you haven’t heard of The Amends yet, I’m sure that will change. This new quartet out of Boulder, Colorado are flat out catchy fun. Punk meets pop. A touch of prog. Indie rock? Yes. Possibly. More like traditional rock with a creative edge that gives it a fresh modern feel.

There is no way one can sit still when The Amends are on the stereo. This is cool music to the max.

So what food to serve up for the band?

I asked Tyler if he had any recipe requests. He responded, “Drew (the main frontman and lead guitarist) and I (lyricist, keys, rhythm guitar,and sing some songs like Regina) are both from the Midwest so have a soft spot for Midwestern comfort food… And since what we’re trying to accomplish is bring back good old fashioned rock n roll but with a twist– maybe some sort of traditional favorite with a new twist by you.”

I loved the idea and decided on a quartet of twisted Midwestern comfort foods...

... Back to The Amends.

I was hooked on Hey Regina from the first listen. There is a disconnect between the catchy chorus and the lyrics that elevates the song above your typical tune of two people using each other. It’s just freakin’ great.

‘She don’t want me for my body, I don’t want her for her mind
I’m just a little game to help her pass the time
We’ve got flesh and lust and mutual distrust and hours and hours to unwind’
The Amends-Hey Regina

Woo-hoo-hoo. Listen to this rocker. Fast and fun with a retro vibe. You know you want to move and shake.
The Amends-Dance (demo mix)

I absolutely love the piano in the song Bored & Mean. And those guitars. And those vocals. What’s not to love? - I Sing in the Kitchen

Maybe it’s because the best album in my car at the moment is an album by The Black Keys but these last few days have seen a few submissions form bands that know how to roll out blues driven rock music. I fact these two bands are so similar to each other I have to keep checking which one I’m listening to. The Red Show has a beefier set of power chords and has an amazing drum roll that accelerates through the middle. The Amends made their debut album completely on their own and has more of a garage sound and guitar solo that very quickly melts your face.

The obvious contemporary (ish) precursor for these bands is The White Stripes and if you really want get back to basics you could trace the family tree back to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and a fair few bands in between. And if you, like me, occasionally miss the bands that want to play good loud music then fill your boots. - A Pocket Full of Seeds

Last Saturday, The Amends – a local Colorado band from Boulder – had their CD release at Meadowlark in Denver, serving up a hearty sampling of rock and roll, from classic rock to blues to early punk and more.

These guys know their rock history catalog, and they know their instruments too: distinct guitar and bass tones, well-sculpted piano and guitar riffs, and dynamic drums to back it all up. On top of that, the raw, passionate vocals of Andrew Weikart and Tyler Taylor complete the high energy sound. Their live show is a spirited blast of music that compels the crowd to dance along – a rare find of pure, original rock and roll that’s definitely worth your time.

You can get The Amends debut self-titled album at their Bandcamp. And check out the opener, ‘Depraved’ – which the band is giving away free – below. - Prince William Sounds

There were many good shows on St. Patrick's Day last week, that is for sure, but I have chosen to check out one Boulder-based band The Amends, which has been in the spot light since 2010. And while waiting for them to come up on stage, I had a chance to talk to Tyler Taylor, the band's leader. Not being a professional interviewer, it was more of a conversation over a beer and it turned out to be much more interesting than I expected.

“We just want to make good rock and roll music, and for people to have a great time at our shows, plain and simple.” On stage at their latest show at the Lion’s Lair in Denver (with James Lanman & The Good Hurt and Orenda), they did just that, and they seemed to pull it off as simply and effortlessly as Taylor suggested. Their music had the enthusiastic audience at the renowned Denver dive bar moving, dancing, and even singing along more than you typically see at local rock shows. The band’s varied influences—indie, classic rock, blues—came together to create a sound that seemed both familiar and exciting and new. But a closer look offstage reveals a bit more depth and complexity than Taylor allowed in his explanation.

The Amends’ music is also more nuanced, soulful, and yes, catchy than Taylor’s initial description allows. Their lineup is Andrew Weikart (vocals, lead guitar), Taylor (vocals, rhythm guitar, keys), Chris Childress (bass), and Shay Byington (drums). According to Taylor, they’ve been playing for a little over a year, but have only begun playing gigs since mid-December. They’ve been on a tour since then, playing 10 shows at venues such as Larimer Lounge, Meadowlark, Leela’s and Herman’s Hideaway. They’ll be taking a brief break from live shows to record their first album in early April which Taylor promises will both “expand and distill” their live sound.

“As a band, we started out with Drew and me bringing in our own songs and figuring out how to adapt them to a full band. Those first songs are still very special to us and they’ve gotten us some great reactions, but we’re getting to a great place now where we’re writing as a cohesive group.”

You can hear some samples of their work at Facebook, Myspace, Soundcloud, or Youtube. The songs they have up currently are live recordings or fairly low-fi versions they recorded in frontman Andrew Weikart’s basement rehearsal space. They will be recording their first album at a Boulder studio in early April, so look for that to be released in the late spring.
- Denver Examiner

Just a couple weeks ago, I reviewed the Amends free EP, a collection of four songs that hinted at greatness, but also left me hungry for a clearer angle on the band's music. Releasing on July 23, and available for pre-order through their bandcamp site is that clearer angle in the form of a self-titled debut full-length. And the surprise with The Amends isn't that it's good, it's just how good and insightful it can be. Those moments of musical experimentation that were so thrilling on The Creatively Titled "Full Album Coming July" are everywhere on The Amends. And they appear to greater effect, tapping into just about every layer of post-punk, true-rock, sad-sack revelation and garage-door-exploding power riffing. Shared from the EP are "Dance," "Hey Regina," "Real Life" and a well-assembled studio version of the excellent, pseudo-olde-timey "Hotel Lobby." And, as they were before, they represent as the "holy shit, who are these guys?" tracks that will grab your brain. But wait, don't pick up that phone now, there's more!

Opening The Amends is a track called "Depraved" that rides a crunchy riff and swift, debonair vocals to a phenomenal, but brief guitar bridge. It possesses an undeniable groove and an exceptional lyric: "Love is just a metaphor." Following the brilliant "Dance" and "Hey Regina," is "Bored & Mean," which shows an incredible maturity and insight in lyric writing, chronicling the break down of a relationship in no uncertain terms. It's also perfectly decorated with keys that fit perfectly into the backdrop of once more groove-powerful guitar. Really. Great. Track. Then "Real Life" blows every one's minds, just as much as it did on the EP. "Down in the Water" lives by growling vocals and a potent drum line. It toes the line between punk and garage perfectly and features an incredible, dare I say "Wolf-Parade-ish" breakdown to end the track. But, then HOLY SHIT (and I don't drop the H-S bomb much here) the grunge and mellow groove returns with "Don't Tell Him," a song that drips with Black Keys-style blues/rock fuzz excellence. It also almost makes the role of "that guy who steals the other guy's girlfriend" seem heroic.

"Fall My Way" has a similar kind of passionate appeal at its core, but this time more sweetly and desperate. And the chorus is an instant catchy breakdown with a set of disparate and intriguing keys to fill in the gaps. And again, a great set of lyrics. Prior to "Hotel Lobby" in the closer position, is "Dandelion Man," a song with a great "Wild Horses"-era Rolling Stones vibe, but also the most harried lyrics. The song feels rushed at times, which works with the sort of desperate plea and stream of consciousness tone of the track, but the chorus, becoming so measured and carefully plotted, detracts somewhat. Still, this is a track that does some amazing things with music, taking full advantage of the keys/guitars combo that drives the Amends' sound. And then, we get "Hotel Lobby," which is phenomenal as a studio track too, though the vocals may be mixed a little high.

Tyler Taylor, vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist in the band says, "What we’ve tried to do with our first album is to create a kind of love letter to rock n roll—an attempt to create something new from the music that’s inspired us. Song by song, you’ll hear some blues, some punk, some indie anthems, some screaming guitar solos, some jangly pianos, and some old fashioned rock n roll. And it’s our hope that by the end you’ll also hear a unifying sound beneath the melodies and varying styles." He pretty much sums it up perfectly, which makes me glad that he's playing the music and not blogging about it. Check out their new album through their bandcamp site for pre-order and give some of these tracks a listen here in the stream below. But, really, throw these kids some cash because it's worth all of our time to find out what they can do with another record. - Gas Lantern Media

The Amends is a Colorado based rock band from the U S of A. They have a number of influences ranging from The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughan to White Stripes, Radiohead and Blind Melon, and a sound which implements crunchy guitar riffs alongside perfectly harmonised vocals with the occasional energy driven by the piano. Their new self titled album sees the band expand on the impact and sound they introduced on their debut, and with more of the same formula, it’s a wonder why these guys remain unsigned.

Depraved begins the album with a Jack White-esque gritty guitar riff that similar to something Kill It Kid would feature on their new album Feet Fall Heavy. The structure of guitar-stop-guitar-stop creates a great sense of urgency in the track that keeps attention on high because of these abrupt endings, this is until the point is reached that the guitar is allowed to make as much noise as possible and is fronted by a very slick guitar solo that Andrew Weikart should be proud of. It’s a strong opening track that raises the bar for what’s to follow. You can stream it for free and buy it here.

Following track Dance does not fail to make you do so. The amount of energy in the guitars during the intro is unparallel, while the main part of the track remains quite upbeat too. The catchy drumbeat, palm muted guitar and on-the-brink emotive in frontman Weikart produces as much fun and accessibility as any of the big Reel Big Fish hits could do. The chorus is literally an explosion of pent up energy from every band member, the sudden rush of volume is fantastic because of the very well done production and the piano part that drives the remainder of Dance makes me do nothing but.

The rest of the album is full of tracks that range from a little bland to very good, but the very few that are bland are still full of catchy hooks with that great guitar tone, and of course still has that infectious optimistic approach on life, as well as soloing of the highest quality. The Amends should be proud of what they have managed to produce without the help of a label, but frankly, it doesn’t seem like they really need one. This self titled record is very good, it’s filled to the brim with elements that make it literally impossible to dislike it, so you should listen and make note of who The Amends are. - Little Comments