First, not only are these guys fantastic musically, but their entire concept is pure brilliance. From the direct and sometimes uncomfortable (but enticing) lyrics and songwriting, the gorgeous film-style production and storytelling in their videos, to the sheer rawness of their stage performance and the understated yet ballsy way they get their message across in their music, this is a band that encompasses far more than just a few catchy tunes. This band commands and needs your full attention to really appreciate what they are doing, as it is one of the most unique, stand out acts I’ve seen since the best new wave acts of the 80s. Even though I’m a rock and roll girl at heart, I appreciate all genres of music and any act that displays true talent, and I was a big fan of some of the new wave and pop-rock of the 80s, there were some brilliant bands that came out of that era.  If you liked Depeche Mode and The Cure, you would definitely get a sense that these guys have captured that very essence, but are delivering it with an impressive millennium twist. Finally, something different and not the cookie cutter studio acts that permeate so much of radio and TV these days. These guys are not simply copying the 80s sound, they are re-creating it in a creative new way and capturing why we loved it in the first place. They then blend in their own sound,  pulling from multiple genres and styles, and the result is music gold.

        But be forewarned, this is is not a band for the meek or for your parents – their words and songs are intensely personal and graphic at times, covering everything from love and lust to revenge and ugly truths about relationships, human nature, heartbreak and pain, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When you add in the dark, beautiful, overtly sexual and sometimes even disturbing, visual images from their videos (in which both Justin and Adam frequently appear), you feel like you’ve been on a crazy emotional trip from which you need a little time to process and recover. They are THAT kind of band, but it is THAT which makes their fans so adamant about their greatness and it is why you need quality time with their music to fully “get it.”

The other twist to this act is that it is not your typical “band.” It is primarily a two man front – Justin and Adam, whom often times have performed their entire shows with no other musicians - meaning they are doing and playing everything themselves – are musical powerhouses. Just listen to their sound and you’ll realize how impressive it is that they could do this with just two people….These are two very different artists, but their styles and diverse backgrounds compliment each other in an explosive way. Justin is more the pure, throwback guitarist, vocalist, keyboardist – a real musicians musician, who clearly grew up on a wide variety of great classic rock and more, while Adam lends a distinct DJ and electronic background, on top of great musical ability, that is more experimental in nature, and a subtle, mysterious presence that gives a cool element of artistic darkness to it all.  It makes for a very powerful combination that keeps this band from sounding like everyone else. They’ve got an interesting fusion of classic 80s new wave sound, with their hip hop and rap roots mixed in (both have a background in it), and an undertone of some good ol’ rock and roll. You definitely can’t put these guys in a box, they are not meant to stick with one genre – they’re meant to create and evolve and experiment, which is exactly what they’ve done in their career.

     On this tour, they do have accompanying musicians, Scott Ellis who is fantastic and precise on percussion/drums, and Thomas Froggatt on additional guitar, who compliments well with an understated but very capable and cool presence. The performance and energy was spot on, the crowd was completely into it, and I understood the intense fan devotion after seeing them do their thing. These guys aren’t playing for accolades or fame, they are playing for their art and it shows in every aspect of their music, and it came through in the interview. Justin is as real and open as they get, you feel like you could sit with him at a bar and rap about life, and you can see that fans immediately connect to his easy charm and articulate thoughts on all kinds of subjects. Adam is more reserved, carefully listening to every word, then taking time to think about exactly what and how he wants to respond. It makes one wonder what he’s thinking, but as he engages in the conversation, he’s gracious, kind and fascinating in his approach. It is this air of reserve and quiet observation that I think lends the artful and moody vibe to the bands music and stage show. I talked to them about about both their music and some personal insights and what the future holds. While they’re busy with other side projects, I, like their devoted following, am crossing my fingers that they put out some new She Wants Revenge music soon, because I feel they’ve only scratched the surface with the few albums they’ve released.

 

Check them out on Facebook at Official She Wants Revenge….