Pump House Gang

It's pretty rare that a new band gets me excited. Even more rare for a band without at least some critical success to do so. But it can happen and It has. I have never been so excited for a band as I am for the Pump House Gang. Hailing from a Los Angeles high school they are one of the most amazing bands that I have heard.

I first heard them in February. The hotel room was crowded with people that i didn't know. K and I were sprawled on one of the beds talking with some of the people from the other teams. Techno music was coming out of the stereo but someone was playing a Led Zepplin song on an acoustic guitar while others were softly singing along. When he finished, the guitarist, Thomas, mentioned how he was in a band. He even had one of their songs, a cover of Red House, on his ipod. Lying on the bed, eyes half shut, listening to beat of the bass and hearing the singer's growl, It was as if the lights had dimmed and the room had been transformed into a dingy club. The music was so raw, so powerful, it was hard to believe the guitarist was the same kid who was sitting on the other bed. The song ended, but i stayed where I was, just revisiting the notes that made my breath catch.

That same night K and Thomas got rather close but nothing came out of it. For me, this caused the focus to go to the performer and not to the band so I mainly forgot about them.

Until recently. I was on their myspace and i listened once more to their music. Once again, I fell in love with the dark bluesy feel that soaked into my every pore. I downloaded every song that they had up and have been listening to them on repeat for the past few days.

I can't begin to say enough about these guys. The guitar is smooth and sharp in all the right places. The bass and drums just blend perfectly in the background moving the song along. But what really gets me, what makes me want to give all that I can for this band, is his voice. Those gravely notes that lead you down to that shadowy room where there are no rules.
My favorite so far has been Detached. It starts off quiet, mournful. And that's a feeling that remains even as the song picks up pace and falls back again. This is a band that speaks the truth. And the truth is in a time where it is all about being polished to selling perfection there are still some bands that are gritty and real.

It's bands like this that make me want to get into the music business. If i could manage any band, risk my future on any group of musicians, it would be the Pump House Gang.