The Northern Whiskey Syndicates music is a combination of their own unique styles and musicianship entwined with each of the members influences and original ideas. This collage of sorts is distilled and packaged in a powerful drums, bass, guitar and vocal format. The bands sound has been described by the press in various ways, including "Honest heartland rock", "REM on the roadhouse circuit" and "unmistakably American, evoking that trashy saloon-rock aesthetic". Many songs reflect life in the fields, factories and farms surrounding the bands native land, the greater Detroit region, although the themes and words could apply to any workingman's town.
Since its inception, the Northern Whiskey Syndicate has maintained a busy performing
schedule including their appearances at the 2005 & 2006 MetroTimes Blowouts, Detroits premier music event, and the 2005, 2006 & 2007 Mid Point Music Festivals in Cincinnati, the Midwests largest independent music festival. And most recently, NWS played a showcase at Toronto's 2007 North by Northeast Music & Film Festival.
Here is a recent article on the band from the Port Huron, Michigan Times-Herald:
Roots Rock
Area band's music taps into reality
By CRAIG DAVISON
Times Herald
Northern Whiskey's Syndicate's third album, "Splice the Main Brace," features a bit of new and old.
There are new tracks for fans. It also is the first album by the group featuring new bassist Matt Sayes of Warren.
What's old are two finished versions of songs that vocalist and guitarist Kevin Anderson and drummer Mike "Sobie" Sobieski wrote while in their previous group, the Loaded 44s.
"I think this album is a natural progression of what we do," Anderson, 48, of East China Township said. "The songs are a little more focused. The album has a more consistent feel."
The first track on the album, "Steering," was pretty new when Sayes joined the group, Anderson said. They seemed to click when they first rehearsed the song.
"We rehearsed it once, and it was pretty much in the bag," Anderson said. "We start our shows with that song."
Sobieski, 34, of Clawson said Anderson writes the songs on an acoustic guitar, so the music has almost a folk feeling to it.
"Kevin writes all these songs acoustically, and then we bring more of a rock background into it," Sobieski said. "I can hear (the songs) in my head with mandolin, banjo and fiddle."
"Steering" and the second track, "Family Tree II," are pretty good examples of that. In the melody of the songs lies an acoustic core that gives the band a broad appeal.
The lyrics sometimes convey harsh economic times such as people transplanted from home or looking for a job.
"I wouldn't call our songs cheery, but I try to inject some hope," Anderson said.
While the songs may not be cheery, the lyrics are human.
In "Bootlegger," a man during Prohibition risks crossing an iced-over river to get liquor from Canada to stock a roadhouse. He wins the adoration of the bar's patrons.
"Black Tags," was a song Anderson and Sobieski wrote while in the Loaded 44s, but wasn't recorded. It's about a man in a past Michigan economic depression moving to Houston to find work to send the money back home.
"Our situation inspired me to write that song," Anderson said.
ANOTHER ONE: Northern Whiskey Syndicate band members Kevin Anderson, Matt Sayes and Mike "Sobie" Sobieski have finished their third album. The band will perform a benefit concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Roche Bar in Port Huron to help artist Michael Card with medical bills after lung cancer surgery.
The essentials
Northern Whiskey Syndicate
• THE BAND: Kevin Anderson, vocals, guitar and harmonica; Matt Sayes, bass; and Mike "Sobie" Sobieski, drums.
• STYLE: Americana roots rock.
• INFLUENCES: Uncle Tupelo, early R.E.M. and some Neil Young.
• RECORDINGS: "Northern Whiskey Syndicate" (2004), "Volstead 33" (2005) and "Splice the Main Brace" (2007).
• UPCOMING GIG: 8 p.m. Saturday, Roche Bar, 405 Quay St., Port Huron. No cover, but donations accepted to help artist Michael Card with medical bills.
• ONLINE: www.northernwhiskeysyndicate.com or www.myspace.com/northernwhiskeysyndicate.
• CONTACT: Send a message via MySpace or an e-mail to firekevin44@yahoo.com.
Read more...