Fever Charm Spring 2012 Tour Video
Move over One Direction, there's a new group of boys in town, and they're not just young and hot, with vocals that'll make any teenage girl's heart melt, they actually play instruments, really, really well. Consisting of four all-American California teenagers, who spend their off-time hanging out at the beach, surfing, skating, flirting with girls and just having fun, not necessarily in that order, Fever Charm's upcoming breakout album West Coast Rock and Roll displays a talent and style beyond their years. Mixing old-school rock, pop-punk and the laid back ease of bumming around on the beach, these boys offer something truly unique that wasn't manufactured backstage at a vocal competition.
Mirroring the realities today's American teenagers and young adults face, Fever Charm's music reflects not only the tradition of young love and longing, but also the struggle of growing into adulthood amid economic uncertainty and the desire to simply "Sail Away" and forget life for a while by way of music and sex and drugs; giving their music an edgy sense of urgency that reminds us what's below the surface of all the teenage good times is a quiet desperation struggling to break through.
Consisting of Ari, lead vocalist, the studious, more serious of the four; Theo (pronounced Tao), lead guitarist, with shaggy hair and blue eyes, winning the non-existent award of Most-Likely-To-End-Up-On-The-Cover-Of-Tiger-Beat-Magazine; Yianni, bass guitarist, with an easy laugh and an infectious smile; and Kendrick, the elusive, good-natured, shy drummer of the group, Fever Charm's upcoming album West Coast Rock and Roll is a coming-of-age of sorts for a band on the edge of transition into the mainstream.
From the new album, the song "3-2 Groove 2" is a high energy dance groove about longing from afar for a girl he's too shy to approach. This song would be at home at a 1960s sock hop or in the pit of any underground club. The moment it begins it brings out a smile and the need to move. Contrasting it is the old-school rock song "Call Me When You Get Lonely," with a really cool, funky guitar lead-in and the angry, desperate vocals of lost love and misery. Just when you're ready to slit your wrists in empathetic solidarity, "Modern World" appears like a much-needed relief. The snotty, snarky attitude mocks his girlfriend and the rest of the world for being addicted to technology to the exclusion of all else, and the illusion of online social networking that encourage role-playing and games. Defiantly refusing to participate, he asserts, "No I am not a pretender/And I will not surrender."
"Losing It" by Fever Charm
Listing an eclectic mix of different genres of rock, the band names Jimi Hendrix, The Black Keys, Jack White and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others, as some of their influences, and talk about surf music from the '50s and '60s with the do-whop sound scattered throughout. Passionate and excited once the conversation turns to music, with a lot of pent-up energy among them, they begin talking over each other to describe the new album West Coast Rock and Roll, "You'll hear a lot of that in the new album." According to Ari, "... We channel some of our music with that energy. It's not just one genre... really diverse. Very diverse album for sure," but they all agree it's pure rock 'n' roll.
Their easy banter and ability to finish each other's sentences comes from going through childhood together in school in Oakland, Calif. before forming the band a little over two years ago, but what amazes me most about them is their professionalism. For all their youth, they raised the funds and produced this album without a record label to help them, an impressive task emphasizing their willingness to sacrifice and devote themselves entirely to their craft.
Sneak Peak teaser of the song "Recognize Me" by Fever Charm, from their upcoming album West Coast Rock and Roll
For upcoming tour dates and pre-order info for the new album, or to contact them, check out their website http://fevercharm.tumblr.com/