The Soulphonics
Elgin, Texas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2007 | SELF
Music
Press
The Austin 3 piece that is the Soulphonics have a psychedelic heart. Their 'garage rock' sound has much in common with bands like Moby Grape and Quick Silver Messenger Service while Glen Worley's naive vocals add a twee twist to proceedings.
The guys are not trying to reinvent the wheel here but instead put a bit more air in the tyres. The album opens with the driving beat of Time Has Changed, complete with chopping guitars that Wilco Johnson would be proud of. The production has a kind of endearing diy feel to it which only adds to the whole punk ethos. Most of the 16 tracks on here are originals but they do tackle a couple of covers and their version of The Brogues 1965 hit I Ain't No Miracle Worker, with Reid Watson taking on vocal duties and outshining Worley, captures the spirit the original as does their version of The Squires Going All The Way. There is no doubt that these guys wear their musical hearts on their sleeves.
Worley proves himself to be pretty nifty in the writing department with brilliant Can't See Love being a stand out, as is the instrumental El Caribe but it is downright dirty Don't Bring 'Er!' that nudges it for best track.
There is much to like about The Soulphonics, especially if your record collection includes The Turtles, The Ramones or Ten Years After. Their sound is naive, as are the lyrics, production and musicianship but that is why I like it. This record wasn't made for me or you. It was made because the band want to and I for one am glad that I get to share it.
Read more: http://www.themusiccritic.co.uk/2011/11/soulphonics-dynamis-sounds-of.html#ixzz1cTTTPx00 - The Music Critic - Independent Music Reviews
That this Austin trio of three-decade rock ‘n’ roll vets(ex-Rattlecats and Rivals) have deep knowledge and taste—and likely awesomevinyl collections—of nascent ‘60s garage is evident by their three hoppin’cover choices: Merced, CA’s short-lived Brogues’ 1965 Nuggets classic “I Ain’t NoMiracle Worker”; Bristol, CT’s Squires’solitary single, 1966’s Pebbles’ staple “Going All the Way”; and Marlboro,MA’s Bugs’ 1966 debut 45, “PrettyGirl”—all strong. But like The Barracudas and Chesterfield Kings (both of whom also covered “Miracle Worker”), theydon’t lose the plot penning their own, analogous tunes. These sound like TheAnimals’ Eric Burdon singing for the more jangly Beau Brummels (i.e., leader GlenWorley’s pleasant pipes turn throaty on adime!), with a smidgen of Link Wray and Texas’s own post-Buddy Holly ’60sphenom, Bobby Fuller. With clean production yet authoritative attack, TheSoulphonics are “dynamic” indeed!
- appears in Big Takeover No. 68 - Spring 2011 - The Big Takeover
This sounds like an awesome high school dance band...playing their class' 40th Anniversary reunion dance! It's got bouncy, jangly hooks and dynamic energy while managing to be notably un-youthful (though not at all stodgy or stiff). SoulFUNic! - Roctober Magazine Reviews
Ring the Bells
It's that time of year again: Critics are making their lists and checking them twice – and decorating with Bun B's A Trill Christmas Story box set of crunk wooden ornaments. OTR compiled a list of new, alternative winterlong classics to help get you in the mood for the holidaze:
...
The Soulphonics, "All I Want for Christmas Is a Job"
A timely, Great Recession ditty with 1960s garage-pop sparkle might strike a little too close to home for proper enjoyment.
- Austin Chronicle - December 24, 2010
Ring the Bells
It's that time of year again: Critics are making their lists and checking them twice – and decorating with Bun B's A Trill Christmas Story box set of crunk wooden ornaments. OTR compiled a list of new, alternative winterlong classics to help get you in the mood for the holidaze:
...
The Soulphonics, "All I Want for Christmas Is a Job"
A timely, Great Recession ditty with 1960s garage-pop sparkle might strike a little too close to home for proper enjoyment.
- Austin Chronicle - December 24, 2010
On December 9, 2010, The Soulphonics, Jesse Sublett and the Ugly Beats played at the Lucky Lounge as a part of Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine live showcase of garage rock talent. The event was sponsored by Independence Brewing Company and hosted by Mal Thursday.
Opening act The Soulphonics were talented and sounded like 1960's bands such as the Lovin' Spoonful or the Rascals at times. They even covered the Chocolate Watchband's "I Ain't No Miracle Worker." They wore matching paisley shirts, square glasses and were groovy.
Next to perform was Jesse Sublett, formerly of the Skunks and the Murder Ballad Show. He performed with a bass violin and a guitar for different songs.
The headliners were local band The Ugly Beats who continued the garage rock showcase. They got the audience on their feet with their melodic tunes.
Mal Thursday, also known as JM Dobies, is the host of an internationally popular podcast called the Texas Tyme Machine, featuring legends of garage rock. The Garage Punk Hideout page has a link to the podcast and information about garage rock concerts in Texas. http://garagepunk.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-mal-thursday-show-32-texas
JM Dobies is also known to Examiner readers as the Austin Classic Movies Examiner. You can find his articles here: http://www.examiner.com/classic-movies-in-austin/jm-dobies
- Examiner.com Austin
This heart-stopping trio, featuring guitarist Glen Worley of Austin's much-missed combo The Rattlecats, is a far cry from the newly-hatched duo that appeared at the 2007 Cherrywood Art Fair. They've evolved into a nimble, hard-driving rock and roll unit, appearing on the Austin City Limits stage just last month. They'll be performing a set of driving rock and roll originals, choice covers, and perhaps a bit of potent surf rock. Any band that lists Pebbles Vol. 9 as a major influence is A-OK with Cherrywood Art Fair!
-Copy written by Cherrywood Art Fair music coordinator Luke Torn, also editor of Pop Culture Press magazine. - Cherrywood Art Fair
This heart-stopping trio, featuring guitarist Glen Worley of Austin's much-missed combo The Rattlecats, is a far cry from the newly-hatched duo that appeared at the 2007 Cherrywood Art Fair. They've evolved into a nimble, hard-driving rock and roll unit, appearing on the Austin City Limits stage just last month. They'll be performing a set of driving rock and roll originals, choice covers, and perhaps a bit of potent surf rock. Any band that lists Pebbles Vol. 9 as a major influence is A-OK with Cherrywood Art Fair!
-Copy written by Cherrywood Art Fair music coordinator Luke Torn, also editor of Pop Culture Press magazine. - Cherrywood Art Fair
Discography
The Soulphonics Christmas single "All I Want for Christmas Is a Job" was released in November 2010 and is available as a limited edition CD single or a download via iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby.com
The Soulphonics album "The Dynamic Sounds of The Soulphonics" was released in March 2011 and is available via CDBaby.com, iTunes, Amazon, etc.
Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover reviewed the album in Issue No. 68:
"That this Austin trio of three-decade rock ‘n’ roll vets (ex-Rattlecats and Rivals) have deep knowledge and taste—and likely awesome vinyl collections—of nascent ‘60s garage is evident by their three hoppin’ cover choices: Merced, CA’s short-lived Brogues’ 1965 Nuggets classic “I Ain’t No Miracle Worker”; Bristol, CT’s Squires’ solitary single, 1966’s Pebbles’ staple “Going All the Way”; and Marlboro, MA’s Bugs’ 1966 debut 45, “Pretty Girl”—all strong. But like The Barracudas and Chesterfield Kings (both of whom also covered “Miracle Worker”), they don’t lose the plot penning their own, analogous tunes. These sound like The Animals’ Eric Burdon singing for the more jangly Beau Brummels (i.e., leader Glen Worley’s pleasant pipes turn throaty on a dime!), with a smidgen of Link Wray and Texas’s own post-Buddy Holly ’60s phenom, Bobby Fuller. With clean production yet authoritative attack, The Soulphonics are “dynamic” indeed!"
Photos
Bio
Guitarist Glen Worley and drummer Kevin "The Skindriver" Connolly travelled 40,000 miles together from 1979-1983 as founding members of the Austin band The Rattlecats, which one reviewer once described as "sounding more like The Clash than anything on this side of the Atlantic." Along the way they played shows with such bands as The Fleshtones, Dave Edmunds, The Bongos, Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns, Jason and the Scorchers, The Leroi Brothers, and lots of other bands in towns and cities from Austin to Omaha. The Rattlecats 45 rpm single 'Run My Life/Back to Life' can be found on the Hyped2Death compilation album Teenline 101. After the breakup of The Rattlecats, Glen and Kevin went on to form The Rivals (1984-1988) and Reid Watson joined The Rivals in 1985 as a replacement bass player. The Rivals went their separate ways in 1988, until 2007 when Glen and Reid were asked to reunite and play Austin's Cherrywood Art Fair. That went over very well and soon Kevin was knocking on the door with his drums asking when was the next rehearsal. "The Soulphonics" was a name that Glen had wanted to use ever since high school in 1970 and that name harks back to the bands that influence The Soulphonics - the great American 'garage' bands such as The Sonics, The Shadows of Knight, The Seeds, and all those other bands that were lost but knew where they were going.
In January 2012 Reid Watson retired from performing and The Soulphonics got bigger and badder with the addition of Joe Emery (The Ugly Beats, Thunderchiefs) on bass and Lee Lazarine (The Mullens, Sunday Drunks) on guitar. The members of The Soulphonics still believe in the three minute AM radio song. They are practitioners of the rapidly dying art form of American garage rock that puts the song and band in the forefront, rather than the individuals. The Soulphonics play music that today's youth have never heard, but when they hear it, they love it. Strangely, The Soulphonics have found that they have a wide appeal to people of all ages, and that 70 year old ladies love the garage band classic "Green Fuz". Who knew? The Soulphonics are the answer to the question posed by their usual set closer "The Band Song" which asks: "No one seems to care anymore - What do you think we do it for?"
Band Members
Links
