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It’s impossible to not take note the alarmingly high number of teen traffic fatalities. Everywhere you drive you see those roadside shrines — crosses on trees, flower arrangements, stuffed animals, photos — poignant reminders of the hefty price some pay for bad judgment.
In an attempt to phase out the existence of such sad sightings, Illumina Records, a label based north of Boston, has decided to do its part to call attention to this epidemic, not just in South County but state- and nationwide. Ground Control: Providence Rockers For Life 2007 features a roster of area bands who have contributed their time and effort to the cause of raising awareness of drunk driving. Money collected by the sale of the CD will fund prevention programs and media campaigns from Providence to Portland, Oregon. “We’re really excited about being a part of this collection,” says Curtis Lambert, whose band BearKat Grooves contributed the cut “The BearKat Denial.”
Spearheaded by Illumina Records president and founder Ron Bellanti and produced by Bellanti and Andrew Swaine, the compilation appears thanks to the support of a number of worthwhile organizations, including 1 Loud Street, Cusp magazine, Driver Agent, Amped PR, and Amped CD Duplication. In the coming months, Illumina, along with the bands on the CD, will be spreading what they call their “lifesaving message”: “Never Drive Drunk.”
“We want to educate our young people on the dangers associated with drunk driving,” says Bellanti.
The recording project serves as an eye-opener for the issue at hand and a really good disc, and the Providence Plantation reps acquit themselves nicely. Kanerko shakes the house with a Load-era-Metallica-like riff on “365.” Psycle rocks too — only a notch quieter — with the heartfelt “My Letter to You,” with some strong vocals and an arcing, melodic chorus. Incidentally, Psycle, from northern Rhode Island, has been cranking things up lately, so be on the lookout for a bump in activity. Noreaster, with musos from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, haven’t been together long but have already pumped out a CD and are working on another. Evident rips it up on “Asteroid,” with a slammin’ Pantera vibe. The Faulted strums out the passionate “A New Day” with moving vocals by Robert Quinn. Phil Ayoub, from nearby Franklin, Massachusetts, opens the disc with the rootsy, lyrical “Cinderella and the Subway,” and Unbroken Ground closes it with the unusual “Common Place,” a slightly psychedelic metal outing with prominent percussion and emotive vocals by a belter named Melody.
While we’re a little confused as to why the disc is billed as “Providence Rockers” but features a handful of non-local bands, we won’t quibble over semantics, not with a cause like this. It’s all good stuff, regardless of where it was birthed. And it’s nice to hear some bands that fall outside the list of “usual suspects” taking part in a high-profile project.
To learn more about the Providence Rockers for Life CD go to the Myspace site: www.myspace.com/providence_rockers.
Kanerko | August 10 | The Living Room, 23 Rathbone St, Providence | 401.521.5200 | The Faulted | August 13 | The Penalty Box, 1119 North Main St, Providence | 401.331.8545 | Psycle | August 17 | The Blackstone, 1005 Mainn St, Pawtucket | 401.726.2181
Cheer! Leaders
In September when the members of the What Cheer! Brigade sit down to scratch out their “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” essays, they will likely have something dandy to write about. This week, the dozen-plus blaring horn blowers and thrumming drum boppers head to Europe where they will be parading around the blocs spewing their delightfully warped marching songs. The band will be gone until the end of the month, hitting gigs in such places as the Golden Püdel in Hamburg, the Bassy Cowboy in Berlin (on their website they say WCB is from “Mississippi”), the Sziget Festival in Budapest (along with Pink, Nine Inch Nails, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Manu Chao, Latch O Drom, etc.), and the 47th annual Guca Trumpeters Festival in Serbia (guca.co.yu). Undoubtedly, the trip will be a once in a lifetime experience for all involved. In an e-mail, the band effuses: “We’ve been saving up our pennies ever since the wee beginning of our band, and now its time to blow the bank. We couldn’t have done it without your support, so thanks!” They’ll keep their fans abreast of all the excitement on their website, so check there frequently. If you’re lonely while they’re away, there are some new songs and photos at the site to keep you company.
