"The best part about SPUTNIK getting somewhere, is that everyone in the band is a great person. You guys have alot of great karma goin on..."
David Rappaport
The Rappaport Account
Trifecta New York Music City News
By Alan Young
Sultry, compelling vocals from frontwoman Genie Morrow and solid
backup from the likes of Ward White, Aaron Keane and Scout skinsman
Nigel Rawles make this one of the crème de la crème of what's
been one hell of a year for albums. Catchy pop hooks, intelligently
thought out song structures and those vocals, over and over again.
Influences are all over the place: Pet Sounds, Big Star, maybe
Aimee Mann. From the exuberance of the opening track She's Alive,
to the breathless anticipation of Powerlines at Dawn, the sonic
equivalent of a Jolt cola, all sweet and suddenly very much alive,
to a sizzling cover of the Sensate Lovers' Is It Still In Your
Heart, a gem snatched from obscurity (how did they get that amazing
snare drum sound?), it's a winner. The cd also has nice Big Star
and Beach Boys covers, in fact better than the originals and that's
pretty impressive. Recommended.
GIGCITY REVIEW
Stiff Little Fingers /The Village Underground
Luna Lounge, New York City
The New York City indie-scene is bracing itself for the next fresh
thing. Since the Strokes (only a short while ago) made their paces through
the Luna and immediately jumped to the mainstream modality; scenesters
have been pondering? Is indie-local-rock gone? A thing of the past? A
treasure once forgotten?
And then one finds answers. . . .
Enter one band, who goes by the name of Sputnik. Featuring past members
of Longwave (Genie Morrow/vocals), Saccharine (Mike Rains/ guitarist &
David Blake /bassist) and drummer (Nigel Rawles); Sputnik has only been
together for a short time. Yet, they graced the stage at Luna Lounge
and displayed some of the finest sounds out there. Each member was
clearly unique in style and delivery - which produced an organic
multi-faceted sound that ranged from mood-satiated melodies to powerful poppy
guitar licks to country-style finger-pickin' and beyond. Providing structure
to the band is Nigel Rawles and his dead-on style of drumming (not to
mention his funny antics when interacting with members of the audience).
You couldn't help but find yourself loving these guys!
Songs that I really enjoyed from their hour set included "Take Me to
the Powerlines" a catchy pop song in which Genie sings about the
adventures of travelling with a new love. I found the lyrics swirling in my
head days later. Also played was, "Sputnik" a song about the fifties space
dog and his lonely days in darkness. Between Genie's accordion playing
and her intense gaze past the audience it produced an eerie feel. One
couldn't help but empathize with the poor pooch. The band also played a
cover of the Brain Wilson song "Warmth of the Sun". The layers of music
kept the band exciting and mesmorizing to watch. They didn't settle
into cliched alterna-rock indie-crap. Their creativity shown through. The
originality was wonderful to witness!
It's amazing to think that this band has just started. Since this be
the case; I cannot wait to see what they hold in store for the future. If
your ears are ready for something sweet, refreshing, and new - get out
there and check these guys out!
BIG TAKEOVER REVIEW JACK RABID - Issue #52 Idlewild
MEET SPUTNIK Ex-LONGWAVE member, singer/songwriter/guitarist/accordion
player GENIE MORROW is a friendly presence on this quartet's LP.
The group knows its stuff: covers of ALEX CHILTON'S "Windows Hotel",
THE BEACHBOYS beautiful "Warmth of the Sun" mingle with their
own bouncy mannered, but not quiet guitar-pop, punctuated by occasional
WHO- flavored fills of drummer and Co-Producer-Nigel Rawles. The
LP trods familiar ground, not far away from the early Bangles/Go-Go's
polite power-pop, straddling the line between commercial and underground.
But what you take away is Genie's geniality: Whether singing "wash
the pain away" on "Smile In the Rain," or insisting with true
faith that his mother "is alive" (i.e. , with us in spirit) on
"She's Alive," her voice and attitude is Mary Tyler Moore-like
in putting a bright spin on a dark day.
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