Band releases debut EP ‘Killing Time’
In the age of image, it’s not uncommon to overhear indie artists unabashedly discuss their brand development tactics, and it’s not uncommon to observe the blossoming of so many savvy hypebeasts who develop a following through multiple recordings, photo shoots and music videos – sometimes even pragmatically waiting until a certain number of followers is attained before even debuting in the live setting.
But Deadbeat Scoundels have been doing it the old fashioned, blue collar way, picking and grinning and grinding it out on the garage-to-bars pipeline for years now before releasing their very raw, warm, live-sounding debut EP Sept. 7 on the WDVX Blue Plate Special.
“We gigged so much the first few years we didn’t take time,” says frontman Aaron Zecchini. “So we had to slow down to record some.”
Produced by Matt Honkonen at his Pitchwire studio, the result, “Killing Time,” lets folks see an original and more introspective side of the group while still capturing the band at its energetic best.
Made up of Zecchini on vocals and guitjo, Preston Davis on standup bass (on the album; sometimes Jeremy Carriger fills in on electric bass live, as was the case at the EP release show) and Marty Hodge on drums, the Deadbeat Scoundrels play an Appalachian-inflected version of alternative folk-rock that brings in elements of jazz and jam.
All of the members of the group are classically trained former music majors at area universities who came of age around the time of the emergence of college radio/jam favorites like Dave Matthews Band, Phish and Widespread Panic, as well as smaller bands like Acoustic Syndicate and Railroad Earth and grunge rockers like Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction and Alice and Chains – all of whom in some way influence this release.
“For our first EP, I wanted it to be kind of bare bones, nothing theatrical,” Zecchini says. “And [Honkonen] did a really good job … it was exactly what I wanted him to do.”
The EP features five tracks, all imbued with a jazzy, rhythmic styling propelled by Davis’ standup bass, Zecchini’s thrashing/plucking guitjo and Hodge’s shuffle drums. Zechinni sings with a raspy yet melodic vocal he attributes to listening to a lot of grunge and alt acts in the ‘90s. The vocals are sometimes personal, referencing relationships or personal struggles, but often they remain vague or general enough to feel universal and generational
“Killing Time” is a great companion for the car, perfect for dozens of spins, as the songs flow well together, uniting country/blues stomp and jazzy grooves to wonderful effect. Zecchini’s voice alternates well, too, between almost high-register pleading and then lower, more assuring tones. It can lull listeners into a hypnotic state of comfort, making them feel like they’ve known the guys in the group forever.
But a closer look at the lyrics reveals a push-pull dynamic between positive productivity and joyful slackerism – and perhaps indicative of the difficulty fitting in between generations (X and millenials). “Life is far too short for us to sit and waste our time” and “I’m feeling so alive … killing time” from the title track are opposite sentiments but exemplify this struggle.
“Cut and Dry” posits “I just want to figure out why everything goes wrong,” and the narrator appears to not want his faltering relationship to become like the titular phrase, “completely decided,” hoping instead to find a way to fix it: “We will not be satisfied with the way that things are cut and dry.” “Whiskey on My Mind,” sounds at first like a romanticized ode to the drink, but repeated listens reveal that the narrator is sick of the liquor and what it’s doing to him.
A search for the band on YouTube yields dozens of live videos from bars, marinas and county fairs throughout the region and up into Kentucky, in Whitley County, where Zecchini lives and directs the middle and high school bands. The videos mostly show popular bar covers from various genres and eras like “Wonderwall,” “Hey Ho,” and “Drive,” but they also showcase the band’s knack for improvisation and fun.
“For us, it’s not like going to work,” says Hodge, who plays church, jazz and bar gigs around the area in addition to working a day job at Lunsford. Hodge studied music at the University of Tennessee, focusing on jazz in his time there, and he has parlayed his talents into years spent working on cruise ships, at Pigeon Forge attractions and other random places.
Zecchini hails from Jellico, not too far from his Bluegrass State home, and honed his skills at University of the Cumberlands, majoring in saxophone and participating in concert band and orchestra.
Davis, the orchestra director at Hardin Valley High School, wasn’t present for the debriefing about the release, but Carriger has become an important member in the rotating cast of Deadbeat Scoundrels. He works with a Japanese import business that he says he can’t even begin to describe in its minutiae, prompting jokes all around about secrecy and potential international man of mystery/CIA status. One thing that is clear about Carriger, however, is that he really can pluck a sweet jazz bass solo.
The Deadbeat Scoundrels have lasted a long time yet continue to improve, Zecchini attributes this fact to having played so many “smaller shows that are like paid practices” and to being “completely drama-free” – something of a rarity in a band. The positive reputation has spread; Zecchini recently joined what is a local supergroup of sorts, combining forces with Tater Johnson, founding guitarist of 10 Years, in a new outfit called J-Birds.
The Deadbeat Scoundrels hope to continue getting their name out there, though, aiming at getting traction and playing some bigger festivals. They performed at Old City Oktoberfest on Sept. 28 and soon will announce some new shows once the details are firmed up. Meanwhile, the hungry looks in their eyes during this interview suggest a band that is just getting started.
