The Regrettes

Upon debuting last December, retro soul band The Regrettes was an instant hit in Columbus — the kind that headlines ComFest, gleans CD102.5 spins and throws an album release party at the Newport in its first year. That party (followed by a “gala” at Hampton’s on King) is this Friday, so let’s run through some of the factors that contributed to the band’s rapid rise to local acclaim.

There’s the fact that the members have been slugging it out in the Columbus music scene for quite a while: “We’ve all been doing music for a long time, so it doesn’t feel like it was that instant,” keyboardist and producer James Allison said.

There’s the universal appeal of classic R&B and soul: “It’s a sound that everyone likes,” singer Lizzy Morris said. “It’s not like a niche thing.”

And of course, there’s the charm and chemistry exuding from dual lead singers Morris and Mehgan Alexandria Hutchinson: “I think it was Mehgan and I’s connection, honestly,” Morris said.

Dolled up on stage, the singers exhibit an almost psychic synchronicity whether belting out harmonies or shaking tambourines and body parts. It’s a wonder two soul divas can work together so smoothly, but against the odds the duo developed a winning dynamic instantly.

Apparently drummer Adam Scoppa knew what he was doing when he proposed a two-headed throwback girl group. Between The Regrettes, post-punk band Psychic Wheels and his gig as a DJ at the Heatwave! dance party, Scoppa has fashioned himself as a Columbus retro impresario. He understands the risks of revisiting well-trodden sounds; the trick, he explained, is finding your voice within the established tropes.

“Retro-tinged music has been recycled so many times,” Scoppa said. “It’s fun to play with certain conventions.”

To wit, debut Don’t Talk Back is deeply classicist but unmistakably The Regrettes. It’s filled with simple, harmonious music for rock ’n’ roll parties, which is exactly what the band is throwing Friday at the Newport with The Dewdroppers and The Washington Beach Bums. Afterwards, the Heatwave! DJs will throw down at Hampton’s.

“People should come expecting a party,” Allison said. - Columbus Alive!

"Don't Talk Back" by The Regrettes is a Throwback R&B/Soul album.

The first two tracks (especially the first) fire things up with a ton of energy, extraordinarily full instrumentation, and hearty soul vocals complete with background choruses that sustain over chugging-along funk guitar.

The third track starts things off entirely sparse with bare vocals, finger snaps, and background vocals that grow to lead the melody. Slowly wet and distant guitars come in... as it continues full production is eventually introduced... the whole song is wonderful progression that remains more chill than other selections on the album, but just as effecting as its more energetic counterparts, ending on a reprise of the acapella before striking that last epic note.

Overall "Don't Talk Back" is a wonderfully put together soul album, which comes at this style with just as much spirit as the pioneers of the genre.

"Don't Talk Back" by The Regrettes is available for download that their Bandcamp page. - Examiner.com

A band of six friends huddled together backstage at the LC Pavilion anticipating their biggest show – opening CD101 Day for national acts like Walk the Moon and The Naked and Famous.

“I just remember that moment being so mind-blowing and then hearing the emcee say, ‘The Regrettes!’” recalls Mehgan Hutchinson, co-lead singer of Columbus’ Harlem-hot revival act.

The Regrettes strode onstage and regaled a sold-out crowd with their tambourine-shaking anthems. They had officially arrived on the Columbus scene, and it took them all of five shows to seduce the city with their sexy, energetic, rhythm-and-soul onslaught.

“That was the coolest day of my life. I want to do that every day, forever,” says Lizzy Morris, Hutchinson’s counterpart.

Already knowing the broad strokes of their story, I lured The Regrettes to my house with promises of tacos and beer to talk about the fastest, craziest 10 months of their lives. It was a short trip for Hutchinson and guitarist Dennis Tanner, who live just down the hall of our Weinland Park home. And to be fair, the tacos were Tanner’s idea, but he always wants tacos.

The Regrettes formed last December out of the remnants of previous bands, interwoven friendships, and the timely addition of Morris.

“I just got born last summer,” she said regarding her entrée into the social group that inhabits a section of the local music scene also populated by Stucco Jones and Psychic Wheels.

Once Morris and Hutchinson had joined forces, they turned to drummer Adam Scoppa, formerly of the Hutchinson-fronted band Burglar.

“I’ve always wanted to be in a band that sounded kinda like The Supremes,” Scoppa said. “I really wanted to use their voices … to make something that was completely an homage to that style of music.”

The band’s first show in February at Rumba Café got the attention of CD102.5 DJ Lesley James, who encouraged them to submit a song to the CD101 Day contest. The Regrettes rushed into Electraplay Studios, run by friend James Allison, to record their first single, “Been Around Too Long,” which helped win them the opening slot at the LC.

“Get that crunch in!” Hutchinson and Morris yell simultaneously, interrupting their origin story as bassist Dan Barnes chomps into a hard shell.

“We’re becoming the same person,” says Morris dryly. On stage, she belts out songs in a bluesy-pop cadence, balanced by Hutchinson’s sultry, smoky textures. The pair melds together to form one show-stopping vocal presence as they harmonize back and forth. The story continues…

When keyboardist Erica Sparks left the band to move to California, Allison became the natural choice to fill the void. His first show was ComFest, where the six-month-old band headlined the main stage on Saturday night.

They brainstormed the idea of leading a “tambourine flash mob,” in which they invited a large group of friends onstage to close the show with a sea of The Regrettes’ favorite instruments.

“Everybody that was backstage, plus everybody we told, started jumping around,” says Tanner. “I thought it was gonna collapse.”

“It was literally like a trampoline,” adds Barnes.

“I’m literally getting sprung off the stage jumping with 30 friends right now in front of thousands of people,” Tanner says.

The next career milestone – the album release show for their debut, “Don’t Talk Back,” which Tanner glibly describes as being about “love and trouble” – will bring the band to the revered Newport Music Hall stage on November 30th.

“We’re setting a mood for this show,” says Allison. “We want to take it back to another decade … it’s not a five-dollar show, like normal local rock shows. This is a production.”

It will also feature another tambourine flash mob for those who pledged $50 to their album-funding Kickstarter campaign.

“They get to come up on stage and see what we see, and so it’s kind of like, ‘Experience it with us,’” Morris says. “This is crazy.” - 614 Magazine

Music fads come and go. How many of you are guilty of owning a Cherry Poppin’ Daddies or Big Bad Voodoo Daddy CD from the now-regrettable Big Band revival of ’97? Thanks to the success of artists ranging from Amy Winehouse to Sharon Jones & The Daptones to Adele, there’s an ongoing ’60s R&B/soul revival in full steam and, fingers crossed, unlike the Big Band revival (or the Ska revival that took place in the early ’90s), this homage will stand the test of time and not burn out as quickly as it started.

We’re lucky to have two really great-sounding soul revival acts in Columbus (if there are more, let me know) – Nick Tolford & Company are poised for national (international?) success with Tolford’s Ray Charles-like voice tapping into the hearts and souls of an audience ranging from Carabar hipsters to those who were around the first time rock n’ roll met soul. And The Regrettes, a group that hasn’t even been together a full calendar year, is taking a giant leap forward and hoping to elevate their status from “opening act for touring bands” to “big stage headliners” with the release of their well-crafted Don’t Talk Back on Friday night at The Newport Music Hall.

If you want to learn more about the history of the band, check out the feature in this month’s (614) Magazine. If how the band formed doesn’t mean a whole lot to you, here’s your chance to let The Regrettes convince you (as they have me) through their music (Listen to Don’t Talk Back in it’s entirely here). I’m sold – hook, line and sinker – on the female harmonies, foot-tapping grooves, and the Memphis horns.

Whether or not this style of music weathers the storm remains to be seen, but dig it now while you can and join The Regrettes, The DewDroppers and Washington Beach Bums Friday night at The Newport. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. - Donewaiting.com

Adapting ’60s music into a modern sound is what The Regrettes have to offer the Columbus music scene.

So far, the response has been positive for the female-fronted, soul-R&B revival group that formed less than a year ago and is hoping to jump aboard the Motown-inspired zeitgeist.

“There are a few soul-R&B bands that have a classic ’60s sound in the national landscape, such as Alabama Shakes and Fitz and The Tantrums,” said keys and percussionist James Allison, calling from his central Ohio home. “Right now, bands have moved away from the ’80s synth-pop stuff. There are even a bunch of big vinyl dance parties going on that were really big in the ’60s. I think all of the bands are a tribute to a type of music that sort of never really died but has not been in the forefront as much in recent years.”

When it comes to influences, The Regrettes cite the girl super groups of the ’60s, such as The Supremes, and legends such as Aretha Franklin and Etta James. There’s also the raw, rootsy sound of early Stax Records. The band is led by co-lead singers Mehgan Hutchinson and Lizzy Morris, who trade vocals about love, revenge and everything in between.

For the better part of 2012, The Regrettes have grown a reputation for sweaty, late-night jams. Now the act is about to release its debut effort, “Don’t Talk Back,” which naturally will be out digitally and, you bet, on vinyl.

Allison said the group added a lot of garage band elements and pounding percussion rhythms to its material. This includes the lead single, “Been Around [Too Long],” and the chugging track “This Means War.”

“It’s definitely paying tribute to a genre and era of music that was very prominent for all of us in our influences,” Allison said. “That music is just timeless. The people who have been hearing that have really been responding to that.”

The one thing you shouldn’t expect from The Regrettes at its Youngstown debut Saturday at Cedars is a cover. As enticing as a well-placed Aretha tune would sound, Allison said the band is all about originality, not novelty.

Still, considering The Regrettes are so tied to a certain era, Allison said the group has been mischaracterized as a novelty throwback act. While he said he understands the perception, it does seem to get under his skin a bit.

“There have been one or two people who said you can be seen as a glorified cover band when you’re doing that stuff, but I totally disagree,” Allison said. “There’s a way to put your own edge on things and a way to make it more expressive about things that are going on right now, and the opinions we have and the basic spin that we want to put on the music. Really, it’s definitely adaptable to any time period.” - The Youngstown Vindicator

Adapting ’60s music into a modern sound is what The Regrettes have to offer the Columbus music scene.

So far, the response has been positive for the female-fronted, soul-R&B revival group that formed less than a year ago and is hoping to jump aboard the Motown-inspired zeitgeist.

“There are a few soul-R&B bands that have a classic ’60s sound in the national landscape, such as Alabama Shakes and Fitz and The Tantrums,” said keys and percussionist James Allison, calling from his central Ohio home. “Right now, bands have moved away from the ’80s synth-pop stuff. There are even a bunch of big vinyl dance parties going on that were really big in the ’60s. I think all of the bands are a tribute to a type of music that sort of never really died but has not been in the forefront as much in recent years.”

When it comes to influences, The Regrettes cite the girl super groups of the ’60s, such as The Supremes, and legends such as Aretha Franklin and Etta James. There’s also the raw, rootsy sound of early Stax Records. The band is led by co-lead singers Mehgan Hutchinson and Lizzy Morris, who trade vocals about love, revenge and everything in between.

For the better part of 2012, The Regrettes have grown a reputation for sweaty, late-night jams. Now the act is about to release its debut effort, “Don’t Talk Back,” which naturally will be out digitally and, you bet, on vinyl.

Allison said the group added a lot of garage band elements and pounding percussion rhythms to its material. This includes the lead single, “Been Around [Too Long],” and the chugging track “This Means War.”

“It’s definitely paying tribute to a genre and era of music that was very prominent for all of us in our influences,” Allison said. “That music is just timeless. The people who have been hearing that have really been responding to that.”

The one thing you shouldn’t expect from The Regrettes at its Youngstown debut Saturday at Cedars is a cover. As enticing as a well-placed Aretha tune would sound, Allison said the band is all about originality, not novelty.

Still, considering The Regrettes are so tied to a certain era, Allison said the group has been mischaracterized as a novelty throwback act. While he said he understands the perception, it does seem to get under his skin a bit.

“There have been one or two people who said you can be seen as a glorified cover band when you’re doing that stuff, but I totally disagree,” Allison said. “There’s a way to put your own edge on things and a way to make it more expressive about things that are going on right now, and the opinions we have and the basic spin that we want to put on the music. Really, it’s definitely adaptable to any time period.” - The Youngstown Vindicator

Sometimes bands struggle long and hard to make a mark in their hometown. And sometimes The Regrettes happens instead. From the moment this throwback soul combo debuted last December, they were the talk of Columbus.

And for good reason. Dual lead singers Meghan Alexandra Hutchinson and Lizzy Morris are positively magnetic, and their backing band of seasoned Columbus rockers ably channels the ghosts of Stax, Motown and Chess. The live show is jubilant and invigorating, faithfully channeling decades of musical quality but never at the expense of fun. It's simply six talented people having a blast playing music they love, and it's contagious. Before they release highly anticipated debut album “Don’t Talk Back” later this fall, they’ll bring Rocktoberfest into its home stretch. - Columbus Alive

Nostalgia has been our dominant cultural currency for a while now, but how you spend it makes all the difference. The fine line between rapture and revulsion is mostly a matter of personal taste; my appreciation for your throwback usually hinges on how deeply you take the imitation.

Are you merely recreating the facade of a particular era, or have you studied and appropriated what makes the classics tick? Is it a gimmick (not necessarily a bad thing), or was it spawned from deep reverence for the good old days (not necessarily a good thing)? And if it’s some blurry composite of irony and ecstasy, does it add up to more than mere kitsch?

When you’re as decidedly retro as The Regrettes, such questions loom large. When you navigate the land mines as well as they did Saturday at LC Pavilion, the question becomes, “Is everybody ready to dance?”

Born from the ashes of alternate-universe retro lounge rockers Burglar, The Regrettes practice a more strictly defined breed of retro: ’60s girl-group pop. But they tweak the formula slightly...

...They employ not one but two dolled-up leading ladies who toss lead vocal duties back and forth as casually as they swing their tambourines. (Apparently you can exude the confidence of a diva without the usual territorial pissing.)

That’s all fine and dandy, but are they any good?

It’s easy to imagine a band winning a popularity contest like the one that landed The Regrettes on CD101 Day Side B through pure charisma. Thankfully, style is only one of their strengths. They’re tapping into the essence of Motown with a deadly combination of blissful reverence and studious expertise.

Staccato blasts of bad romance; minimalist guitar solos; swooning, spoken-word interludes that include the word “baby.” The Regrettes did it all Saturday. Everyone around me was grinning.

Contrary to the dude who kept yelling “YOLO!,” this sound will keep resurrecting as long as bands like The Regrettes keep nailing it.

-Chris DeVille
- Columbus Alive

Nostalgia has been our dominant cultural currency for a while now, but how you spend it makes all the difference. The fine line between rapture and revulsion is mostly a matter of personal taste; my appreciation for your throwback usually hinges on how deeply you take the imitation.

Are you merely recreating the facade of a particular era, or have you studied and appropriated what makes the classics tick? Is it a gimmick (not necessarily a bad thing), or was it spawned from deep reverence for the good old days (not necessarily a good thing)? And if it’s some blurry composite of irony and ecstasy, does it add up to more than mere kitsch?

When you’re as decidedly retro as The Regrettes, such questions loom large. When you navigate the land mines as well as they did Saturday at LC Pavilion, the question becomes, “Is everybody ready to dance?”

Born from the ashes of alternate-universe retro lounge rockers Burglar, The Regrettes practice a more strictly defined breed of retro: ’60s girl-group pop. But they tweak the formula slightly...

...They employ not one but two dolled-up leading ladies who toss lead vocal duties back and forth as casually as they swing their tambourines. (Apparently you can exude the confidence of a diva without the usual territorial pissing.)

That’s all fine and dandy, but are they any good?

It’s easy to imagine a band winning a popularity contest like the one that landed The Regrettes on CD101 Day Side B through pure charisma. Thankfully, style is only one of their strengths. They’re tapping into the essence of Motown with a deadly combination of blissful reverence and studious expertise.

Staccato blasts of bad romance; minimalist guitar solos; swooning, spoken-word interludes that include the word “baby.” The Regrettes did it all Saturday. Everyone around me was grinning.

Contrary to the dude who kept yelling “YOLO!,” this sound will keep resurrecting as long as bands like The Regrettes keep nailing it.

-Chris DeVille
- Columbus Alive

Less than a year ago, Adam Scoppa and his Burglar band mate Mehgan Alexandra Hutchinson got together with mutual friend Lizzy Morris to see where things would go musically. Within weeks, they had five songs and a vocal chemistry from which to build.

Less than a year later, The Regrettes has created a buzz around the Columbus area with its soulful, female-fronted sound and is gearing up for the release of its debut record—“Don’t Talk Back”—on Nov. 30.

“It’s totally been blowing my mind—what we’ve been able to accomplish so far and the kind of support that we’ve already got,” Scoppa said.

Featuring Scoppa (drums), Hutchinson (vox/tambourine), Morris (vox/tambourine), James Allison (keys/percussion), Dennis Tanner (guitar) and Daniel Barnes (bass), The Regrettes will make its Toledo debut when it performs at Ottawa Tavern on Oct. 27.

Since forming in November, The Regrettes has captured the attention of Columbus audiences with a throwback sound inspired by the likes of early Stax records, Motown, Aretha Franklin and Etta James, among others. Within months, the band went from playing its first show at Columbus’ Rumba Café in February to headlining the state capital’s annual ComFest in June.

Scoppa said the unique co-female vocalist dynamic between Hutchinson and Morris is what helped The Regrettes gain that type of momentum in such a short period of time.

“I think that’s, like, the most attention-getting aspect of the band,” Scoppa said. “I think that’s how we were able to kind of get so much attention is because you don’t really see that dynamic every day. You barely even see very many female-fronted bands, let alone two harmonizing chicks, you know?”

While The Regrettes’ female dynamic is intriguing, what the group is pulling off as a band isn’t easy, by any means. With a sound that includes elements of soul, rhythm and blues, garage and rock n’ roll, The Regrettes has an old school energy anchored by the vocals of Hutchinson and Morris, neither of whom hogs the mic, according to Scoppa.

“I’m glad that the girls trade off lead singing duties pretty much a hundred percent evenly, like [a] fifty-fifty split,” Scoppa said of Hutchinson and Morris. “They never step on each other’s toes. They’re always working together and bolstering each other’s performances.”

The Regrettes was recently bolstered by its loyal following, too. The band launched a Kickstarter project on Sept. 6 to help raise enough funding to get “Don’t Talk Back” mastered, as well as get the album pressed on 12-inch vinyl for distribution.

Thanks to Kickstarter—an online fundraising tool for creative projects—and its fans, The Regrettes successfully reached its $4,000 Kickstarter goal on Oct. 10, receiving a total of $5,380 from 113 backers toward its debut album.

“I think it’s one of the better things about the current state of music and the internet,” Scoppa said of Kickstarter. “Watching that thing, like, climb every day and seeing how much some people had pledged, it was pretty exhilarating.”

The Regrettes recorded “Don’t Talk Back” in Hilliard, Ohio at Electraplay Studios, an old steel mill barn that Allison helped production partner Tony Stewart convert into an audio and video production studio.

“I think it allowed him to get pretty down in the nitty-gritty with things,” Scoppa said of Allison helping The Regrettes put “Don’t Talk Back” together. “What came out was sometimes [the record] has a real lush, kind of Motown sound, and sometimes there’s a little more snare—something like Aretha Franklin or Etta James—and I think it has a lot of dynamic to it.”

With “Don’t Talk Back” in the bag, The Regrettes is gearing up for a handful of shows in support of its debut record. In addition to playing its first gig in Toledo, the band will also have its first performance at Newport Music Hall in Columbus for its album release show on Nov. 30, where other Ohio notables like The Black Keys and Columbus’ own Red Wanting Blue have performed.

“I think my band and the audience have a mutual understanding as far as the entertainment factor go,” Scoppa said of The Regrettes. “I think people know that they can just let loose at one of our shows, and just kind of hear these sounds and these elements they don’t usually get to hear in a usual rock n’ roll show.” - Toledo Free Press

Less than a year ago, Adam Scoppa and his Burglar band mate Mehgan Alexandra Hutchinson got together with mutual friend Lizzy Morris to see where things would go musically. Within weeks, they had five songs and a vocal chemistry from which to build.

Less than a year later, The Regrettes has created a buzz around the Columbus area with its soulful, female-fronted sound and is gearing up for the release of its debut record—“Don’t Talk Back”—on Nov. 30.

“It’s totally been blowing my mind—what we’ve been able to accomplish so far and the kind of support that we’ve already got,” Scoppa said.

Featuring Scoppa (drums), Hutchinson (vox/tambourine), Morris (vox/tambourine), James Allison (keys/percussion), Dennis Tanner (guitar) and Daniel Barnes (bass), The Regrettes will make its Toledo debut when it performs at Ottawa Tavern on Oct. 27.

Since forming in November, The Regrettes has captured the attention of Columbus audiences with a throwback sound inspired by the likes of early Stax records, Motown, Aretha Franklin and Etta James, among others. Within months, the band went from playing its first show at Columbus’ Rumba Café in February to headlining the state capital’s annual ComFest in June.

Scoppa said the unique co-female vocalist dynamic between Hutchinson and Morris is what helped The Regrettes gain that type of momentum in such a short period of time.

“I think that’s, like, the most attention-getting aspect of the band,” Scoppa said. “I think that’s how we were able to kind of get so much attention is because you don’t really see that dynamic every day. You barely even see very many female-fronted bands, let alone two harmonizing chicks, you know?”

While The Regrettes’ female dynamic is intriguing, what the group is pulling off as a band isn’t easy, by any means. With a sound that includes elements of soul, rhythm and blues, garage and rock n’ roll, The Regrettes has an old school energy anchored by the vocals of Hutchinson and Morris, neither of whom hogs the mic, according to Scoppa.

“I’m glad that the girls trade off lead singing duties pretty much a hundred percent evenly, like [a] fifty-fifty split,” Scoppa said of Hutchinson and Morris. “They never step on each other’s toes. They’re always working together and bolstering each other’s performances.”

The Regrettes was recently bolstered by its loyal following, too. The band launched a Kickstarter project on Sept. 6 to help raise enough funding to get “Don’t Talk Back” mastered, as well as get the album pressed on 12-inch vinyl for distribution.

Thanks to Kickstarter—an online fundraising tool for creative projects—and its fans, The Regrettes successfully reached its $4,000 Kickstarter goal on Oct. 10, receiving a total of $5,380 from 113 backers toward its debut album.

“I think it’s one of the better things about the current state of music and the internet,” Scoppa said of Kickstarter. “Watching that thing, like, climb every day and seeing how much some people had pledged, it was pretty exhilarating.”

The Regrettes recorded “Don’t Talk Back” in Hilliard, Ohio at Electraplay Studios, an old steel mill barn that Allison helped production partner Tony Stewart convert into an audio and video production studio.

“I think it allowed him to get pretty down in the nitty-gritty with things,” Scoppa said of Allison helping The Regrettes put “Don’t Talk Back” together. “What came out was sometimes [the record] has a real lush, kind of Motown sound, and sometimes there’s a little more snare—something like Aretha Franklin or Etta James—and I think it has a lot of dynamic to it.”

With “Don’t Talk Back” in the bag, The Regrettes is gearing up for a handful of shows in support of its debut record. In addition to playing its first gig in Toledo, the band will also have its first performance at Newport Music Hall in Columbus for its album release show on Nov. 30, where other Ohio notables like The Black Keys and Columbus’ own Red Wanting Blue have performed.

“I think my band and the audience have a mutual understanding as far as the entertainment factor go,” Scoppa said of The Regrettes. “I think people know that they can just let loose at one of our shows, and just kind of hear these sounds and these elements they don’t usually get to hear in a usual rock n’ roll show.” - Toledo Free Press

"So, is it soulful rock? Is it bluesy 60’s funk? Whatever it is, it’s well-balanced. Keyboardist Erica Lyn Sparks and bassist Dan Barnes hold down the driving doo-wop progressions while drummer Adam Scoppa maintains up-tempo souls beats. Believe me when I say that no one rocks the floor tom [drum] like Scoppa – just go to a show and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Then there’s Dennis Tanner on guitar, who apparently can play any genre of music he pleases with ease. In the past three months, I’ve seen Dennis in three different bands, each sounds completely different, all of which rocked my socks (not an easy feat) – it’s like getting a box of chocolates, that doesn’t have any nasty ones in it."

-Josh Weiker - BusTown Music

"So, is it soulful rock? Is it bluesy 60’s funk? Whatever it is, it’s well-balanced. Keyboardist Erica Lyn Sparks and bassist Dan Barnes hold down the driving doo-wop progressions while drummer Adam Scoppa maintains up-tempo souls beats. Believe me when I say that no one rocks the floor tom [drum] like Scoppa – just go to a show and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Then there’s Dennis Tanner on guitar, who apparently can play any genre of music he pleases with ease. In the past three months, I’ve seen Dennis in three different bands, each sounds completely different, all of which rocked my socks (not an easy feat) – it’s like getting a box of chocolates, that doesn’t have any nasty ones in it."

-Josh Weiker - BusTown Music

"Old school rhythm and blues has been exploding of late with old hands like Mavis Staples and newcomers like the Alabama Shakes taking the popular music scene by storm. The Regrettes, out of Columbus, Ohio, are part of the recent crop of up-and-comers looking to adopt these old soul styles, and from the sounds of “Been Around (Too Long)” the form could not have asked for a better home. Mehgan Alexandra Hutchinson’s lead vocals here are rich and full, and are supported beautifully by Lizzy Morris’ backup harmonies. The track is mostly driven by frenetic drumming, which includes some pretty crazy high hat and cymbal work. The remaining instruments provide small accents throughout, adding a depth and complexity to the high-energy groove. This song is the first ever released by the band and points to a bright, soulful, dancy future." - All Things Go

"Old school rhythm and blues has been exploding of late with old hands like Mavis Staples and newcomers like the Alabama Shakes taking the popular music scene by storm. The Regrettes, out of Columbus, Ohio, are part of the recent crop of up-and-comers looking to adopt these old soul styles, and from the sounds of “Been Around (Too Long)” the form could not have asked for a better home. Mehgan Alexandra Hutchinson’s lead vocals here are rich and full, and are supported beautifully by Lizzy Morris’ backup harmonies. The track is mostly driven by frenetic drumming, which includes some pretty crazy high hat and cymbal work. The remaining instruments provide small accents throughout, adding a depth and complexity to the high-energy groove. This song is the first ever released by the band and points to a bright, soulful, dancy future." - All Things Go

Inside the packed, steamy performance space at Woodlands Tavern, a group of lively musicians has the audience under a spell.

Two female vocalists steer the ship, their hips and tambourines shaking in unison. Four lanky men in sunglasses supply the soulful melodies laced with a vintage vibe.

Amid ooh-la-la verses of brazen sass and sour love, an auxiliary trombonist and a trumpeter wail intermittently.

Wait: What year is it?

Part 1960s girl group, part indie rock and even a little bluesy, the Columbus newcomers the Regrettes have ridden on a wave of buzz since forming in December — picking up a main-stage evening slot in June at ComFest and opening for a bill of national acts in the spring as part of the sold-out CD101 Day at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion.

The positive reception might hinge a bit on a distaste for new sounds.

“There’s a lot of music out there that’s repetitive,” said Regrettes singer Mehgan Hutchinson, 28. “This is giving a nod to a time where things were lighthearted and fun.”

Yet a distinct reasoning lay behind the pursuit of an old-school vibe.

“It’s kind of like trying on a costume, but I don’t want to make it sound like a novelty,” said 28-year-old drummer Adam Scoppa, who each month co-hosts the all-vinyl throwback dance party Heatwave.“You take bits and pieces, seeing how well you can pay homage. You don’t have to turn on a retro button.”

Such inclinations aren’t unique to this particular ensemble, nor have the sonic and visual hallmarks of past decades been overlooked in recent popular music.

An Aug. 14 concert by the banjo-toting, tweed-sporting British neo-folksters of Mumford & Sons at the 4,500-capacity Lifestyle pavilion is already sold out. Fitz and the Tantrums, a brassy Los Angeles soul-pop ensemble, plays Columbus frequently, championed early on by area radio. The Akron garage-rock duo the Black Keys — long a gritty, low-key effort — amped up elements of Motown and glam on their seventh studio effort, El Camino.

Other A-list musicians, from slick songwriter Bruno Mars and emotive diva Adele to the departed Amy Winehouse, have successfully evoked decades-old sounds that top modern music charts.

For central Ohio artists with the same mindset, such sounds can be a selling point.

“It hints at what you’re going to hear, .?.?. the novelty of it,” said Jason Turner of the Columbus surf-rock duo coyly named Don Drapery (a riff on lead character Don Draper of the AMC series Mad Men, set in the 1960s).

Once part of an indie-rock band, Turner cited the new venture — inspired by the music featured on Mad Men — as an opportunity to stretch.

Now, the 31-year-old said, “It’s more about doing something new than the fact it’s retro.”

Others inspired by songwriters of the past say they have no desire to fit the mold of a modern scene.

“We work hard to try and write original songs that, if you didn’t know they were ours, you would think they were written in 1951,” said Brady Oxender, the 29-year-old drummer for the Columbus classic-country outfit Slim White and the Averys.Clad in Western shirts and cowboy hats, the band has a monthly saloon-style gig at the Shrunken Head in Victorian Village.

“We try to sound as old and authentic as possible.”

Area folk-pop trio the Salty Caramels strives for a similar vibe, offering a hat tip to both vocal and instrumental styles of the past.

In concert, the women play unlikely tools that include slide whistles, kazoos, a saw, a washboard and an old battered suitcase in lieu of a kick drum — elements that have endeared them to audiences at rural festivals and on urban stages alike.

“We really wanted to focus the vocals kind of like the Andrews Sisters — that whimsical three-part harmony,” said multi-instrumentalist Molly Winters, 33. “We try to bring the audience back to a time when you would hear things like that, .?.?. really wanting to highlight the nostalgia.”

Still, artists seeking to look back ought to be conscious of not going overboard, said fiery pianist Nick Tolford, considered by many area musicians a pioneer of the central Ohio retro-revival scene.Although inspired by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles — employing three female backup singers in his own band, no less — Tolford deemed his “stripped down” live shows as rooted in the present. (He has shunned wearing a suit, for example.)

“Everything has been done so many times over,” said the 25-year-old, who has headlined the Newport Music Hall with his Nick Tolford & Company ensemble and is at work this summer on a sophomore album.“I’m just trying to have a good time. Not always being in an indie-rock band is really refreshing.”

Perhaps most representative of the movement are the players of the DewDroppers, a ragtime-swing act whose members, in ties and suspenders, sustain sounds of the early 20th century through original tunes laced with clarinet and high-hat cymbals.

Their atypical aesthetic provides “an excuse to act like a co - Columbus Dispatch

Inside the packed, steamy performance space at Woodlands Tavern, a group of lively musicians has the audience under a spell.

Two female vocalists steer the ship, their hips and tambourines shaking in unison. Four lanky men in sunglasses supply the soulful melodies laced with a vintage vibe.

Amid ooh-la-la verses of brazen sass and sour love, an auxiliary trombonist and a trumpeter wail intermittently.

Wait: What year is it?

Part 1960s girl group, part indie rock and even a little bluesy, the Columbus newcomers the Regrettes have ridden on a wave of buzz since forming in December — picking up a main-stage evening slot in June at ComFest and opening for a bill of national acts in the spring as part of the sold-out CD101 Day at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion.

The positive reception might hinge a bit on a distaste for new sounds.

“There’s a lot of music out there that’s repetitive,” said Regrettes singer Mehgan Hutchinson, 28. “This is giving a nod to a time where things were lighthearted and fun.”

Yet a distinct reasoning lay behind the pursuit of an old-school vibe.

“It’s kind of like trying on a costume, but I don’t want to make it sound like a novelty,” said 28-year-old drummer Adam Scoppa, who each month co-hosts the all-vinyl throwback dance party Heatwave.“You take bits and pieces, seeing how well you can pay homage. You don’t have to turn on a retro button.”

Such inclinations aren’t unique to this particular ensemble, nor have the sonic and visual hallmarks of past decades been overlooked in recent popular music.

An Aug. 14 concert by the banjo-toting, tweed-sporting British neo-folksters of Mumford & Sons at the 4,500-capacity Lifestyle pavilion is already sold out. Fitz and the Tantrums, a brassy Los Angeles soul-pop ensemble, plays Columbus frequently, championed early on by area radio. The Akron garage-rock duo the Black Keys — long a gritty, low-key effort — amped up elements of Motown and glam on their seventh studio effort, El Camino.

Other A-list musicians, from slick songwriter Bruno Mars and emotive diva Adele to the departed Amy Winehouse, have successfully evoked decades-old sounds that top modern music charts.

For central Ohio artists with the same mindset, such sounds can be a selling point.

“It hints at what you’re going to hear, .?.?. the novelty of it,” said Jason Turner of the Columbus surf-rock duo coyly named Don Drapery (a riff on lead character Don Draper of the AMC series Mad Men, set in the 1960s).

Once part of an indie-rock band, Turner cited the new venture — inspired by the music featured on Mad Men — as an opportunity to stretch.

Now, the 31-year-old said, “It’s more about doing something new than the fact it’s retro.”

Others inspired by songwriters of the past say they have no desire to fit the mold of a modern scene.

“We work hard to try and write original songs that, if you didn’t know they were ours, you would think they were written in 1951,” said Brady Oxender, the 29-year-old drummer for the Columbus classic-country outfit Slim White and the Averys.Clad in Western shirts and cowboy hats, the band has a monthly saloon-style gig at the Shrunken Head in Victorian Village.

“We try to sound as old and authentic as possible.”

Area folk-pop trio the Salty Caramels strives for a similar vibe, offering a hat tip to both vocal and instrumental styles of the past.

In concert, the women play unlikely tools that include slide whistles, kazoos, a saw, a washboard and an old battered suitcase in lieu of a kick drum — elements that have endeared them to audiences at rural festivals and on urban stages alike.

“We really wanted to focus the vocals kind of like the Andrews Sisters — that whimsical three-part harmony,” said multi-instrumentalist Molly Winters, 33. “We try to bring the audience back to a time when you would hear things like that, .?.?. really wanting to highlight the nostalgia.”

Still, artists seeking to look back ought to be conscious of not going overboard, said fiery pianist Nick Tolford, considered by many area musicians a pioneer of the central Ohio retro-revival scene.Although inspired by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles — employing three female backup singers in his own band, no less — Tolford deemed his “stripped down” live shows as rooted in the present. (He has shunned wearing a suit, for example.)

“Everything has been done so many times over,” said the 25-year-old, who has headlined the Newport Music Hall with his Nick Tolford & Company ensemble and is at work this summer on a sophomore album.“I’m just trying to have a good time. Not always being in an indie-rock band is really refreshing.”

Perhaps most representative of the movement are the players of the DewDroppers, a ragtime-swing act whose members, in ties and suspenders, sustain sounds of the early 20th century through original tunes laced with clarinet and high-hat cymbals.

Their atypical aesthetic provides “an excuse to act like a co - Columbus Dispatch