The Suburbians
Brentwood, England, United Kingdom | INDIE
Music
Press
All updated press can be seen at-
www.thesuburbians.co.uk - www.thesuburbians.co.uk
All updated press can be seen at-
www.thesuburbians.co.uk - www.thesuburbians.co.uk
"The Suburbians Who? The Suburbians are Mark Konstantinovic on vocals and guitar, his brother Ben on guitar, Charlie Roberts on bass and Ben Nyari on drums What? Tuneful indie rock with distinct anthemic tendencies. Brentwood brothers Mark and Ben honed their songwriting skills on the acoustic scene in Brighton while they were at uni. The brothers only formed the group a few months ago after entering a talent competition in Brighton. On returning to Essex they recruited Charlie after he'd seen them performing at O'Neill's in Brentwood and he enlisted his best mate Ben on drums. Why? They've got the songs and they've got the self belief. The Suburbians have only played a handful of gigs but already have the feel of a band going places. "
- Essex Chronicle Jan 13 2011, One to Watch in 2011 (Jan 13, 2011) - Essex Chronicle
The Suburbians
The Suburbians may be unfamiliar faces in the world of music today, but this won't be the case for much longer... Starting out in the pubs and clubs of Brighton's acoustic circuit, the "Konstantinovic Brothers" sparked interest and intrigue for anyone who happened to walk in during one of their distinguished acoustic covers. They have the charm and crowd appeal to have everyone screaming spaceship sounds during their coveted version of "Afternoon Delight", (used famously in the film Anchorman), or dancing like idiots to a curious version of Boyoncee's single ladies! When it comes to acoustic covers, these guys know what they're doing.
There are a few things that really distinguish this group, and if you're in the music scene in or around Brighton, you will probably know that one of those is the guitarist Ben Konstantinovic (previous guitarist for InMe). During a set, there's a good chance you'll witness him lay his guitar down on his lap, and do what can only really be described as "playing the guitar like a piano and a drum kit at the same time" - something which simply has to be seen to be believed, and becoming quite popular on YouTube. A second would be their vocal harmonies; led by main vocalist Mark, stir this in this with some fantastic guitar work, and you have a basic idea of what The Suburbians are all about.
After self publishing Ben Konstantinovic's solo E.P. "Rain Before the Storm" - (Now available on iTunes), The Suburbians are taking a good hard look at recording their first album. With such a wide range of influences and styles it will be interesting to see how it turns out. There will undoubtedly be elements of rock and intricate guitar work... The first demo which has been seen on their MySpace is an interesting track called 4 Blue Walls, with all instruments played by Ben and Mark between them, Fusing elements of funk with a basic rock beat, its definitely one to check out.
They have so far attracted some radio attention, and avid listeners of Tim Shaw's shows on Absolute radio will remember their live sessions on air, featuring temporary Suburbian manager Neg Dupree (Balls of Steel).
With a few radio shows and live gigs lined up in the near future, it's not sure what to expect stylistically from The Suburbians, but there's one thing we can be sure about and that's that they're on the way up! - 412 Limited
Discography
Ben Konstantinovic - Rain Before the storm EP
2009 - Release through BAM Music group
Follow the Lights - The Suburbians
2011 - Released through BAM Music group
Photos
Bio
Currently writing their second album, The Suburbians continue to gain momentum internationally and 2013 has been tipped as their year for greatness, already confirmed for CMW and SXSW following stand out performances in 2012.
When Essex based 4 piece 'The Suburbians' released debut album 'Follow The Lights', it set a rumble through a vastly competitive, saturated UK industry. The initial few who were struck by the emotionally twisting grandeur, yet somehow familiar debut LP, soon began to ignite the underground world of British rock. In a land where a live rock show is seemingly subdued by the rich demand of reality pop culture, the uplifting passion stirred in 'Follow The Lights' brings you something you can whole heartedly sink your teeth into.
In 2010 a cluster bomb of creativity exploded between two brothers Mark (vocals/guitar) and Ben K (lead guitar/vocals). During their time studying in Brighton, they were plunged into a new world where artistic expression was at the forefront of the city streets. Watching and performing at the prevalent open mic nights in the city's suburbs, word spread of the duo's songs, and when they were offered a main stage slot at the Brighton Marathon Festival, they had two weeks to find a band. It was sheer fate that brought best friends Charlie Roberts (bass) and Ben Nyari together with the brothers, meeting in a pub in Brentwood within hours of posting an ad online, their first rehearsal was scheduled, and they never looked back.
Joining forces with producer Romesh Dodangoda, who has enjoyed success with artists like Kids In Glass Houses, Twin Atlantic and Motorhead to name a few. It was a collaboration that delivered the instrumental clarity and stirring vocals in the bands debut. Under the radars of record labels or managers at this point, an entirely gung ho attitude is what created debut album 'Follow The Lights' in a mere ten days. With the last track written on the day of recording, the album may have been rushed, but it's also an honest representation of a sound grown from sheer passion and dedication to their craft.
Says Mark “It's our voices, two guitars, bass and drums, and that's all we had at the time. I admire bands who make their live sound without needing backing tracks or computers, we all wanted to acheive a 'real' album that we can deliver on stage every night”.
Broadening their musical perspective as they grew profile in the UK, it wasn't long before 'Follow The Lights' began to cross water. When a festival in Ireland invited The Suburbians to perform, a whirlwind of interest began to turn. The organisers were struck by the discovery of the band, dates at the sister festivals in Canada and America were booked within weeks. When they performed as part of Indie Week festival in Toronto, the four piece ignited another flame, far from home, in a city where a British vocal mixed with the satisfying, classically 'big' guitars, kick-started that whirlwind into a full on typhoon. A global endorsement deal from Gibson guitars was offered to the band during their first visit, and through attracting lucrative sponsorship, early 2011 saw The Suburbians return to North America for some of the biggest taste-maker festivals around the world. Touring from SXSW festival in Austin Texas up to Canadian Music Week festival, the band began to realize that this childhood dream was quickly dawning on them as a brutally exciting reality.
Say's Ben K “We were thrown onto an international playing field after living in a bubble for so many years, it's overwhelmingly inspiring and daunting at the same time. I want to invest our experiences and step up our game on the second album”.
Most importantly the bands debut is a encompassing collection of songs that dig deep into the human psyche. A mixed bag that can deliver the energy to put a smile on your face, to the remoteness of loss and heartbreak. A truly independent album which has caused enough waves, and raised the bar of expectation to the height that right now they are poised for huge things in the near future.
Links
