Vandella

San Francisco based harmonies to perfection Vandella is many things but certainly not resting themselves on any particular sonic perch. The California outfit have been compared to a smörgåsbord of historic names and rightly so. There is a sense of timelessness in their airy soulful indie rock sounds.

Their new single “A Feeling I’d Forgotten” from their forthcoming second release Strange Calls (due out April) is a laid-back offering that has thoughts of a delicious concoction The Blank Tapes, Big Star and, yes, Buckingham Nicks (the album ’73). The atmosphere is all there; easy, inviting and foundations of woodsy texture that carry the listener right along Vandella’s beautiful melodic ocean breeze.

This track is summer preparation… - Global Texan Chronicles

It’s easy to become broken by the machinations of the music industry, where a constant hustle, both creatively, and business-wise, is a requirement, but nowhere near an assurance of success. On “Couldn’t Quit It” from San Francisco’s soulful, indie rock outfit Vandella, Tracey Holland wrestled with that frustration.

“I wrote this song as a way of capturing the less-shiny side of being an artist, and my sometimes-disillusionment or distaste for what I perceive to be some of the bullshit that comes along with the music business machine,” she says. “A lot of people think being an artist or in a band is super-glamorous and frivolous, but I and all of my friends who are amazing artists hustle day in and day out and have been doing so for years. Sometimes it feels like a Sisyphean, thankless job.”

Not that this isn’t where she wants to be, she adds.

“Not to be a huge downer. Being a full-time musician is the only thing I’d ever want to be doing, and I’m lucky, but there’s more complexity, and depth, and sure, heartache when you’re an artist and trying to carve a place for yourself, than I think people want to talk about sometimes. This song is sort of confronting that, having a moment of frustration, or questioning just what the fuck you’ve been doing all these years. It’s reckoning with which pieces of the dream have been realized and which are still always just within reach, but still elusive. Acknowledging that you’ve been on this long journey together and you gotta grit your teeth and get back to it cause there’s still a ‘desert more to go.'” - Bullett Magazine

According to Vandella...

“We’re very tight-knit, so when our drummer Dan was planning to propose to his girlfriend, we all had to be a part of it. We were holed up at a cabin, surprised her post-proposal, and we celebrated all weekend. As she was gushing about him, the proposal, and all of it, she said that Dan made her feel a ‘feeling (she’d) forgotten.’ Chris jotted down the line ‘cause he thought it sounded cool. I also have a sneaking suspicion that some psychedelics and a camping trip are also to thank for coalescing that one line into the rest of the song, but who knows.” - Huffington Post

Since the release of Young Daze in 2014, gravelly voiced Travis Hayes has been churning out guitar-heavy indie-rock bangers that are as contemplative as they are lively. Hayes, who is celebrating 10 years of living in San Francisco, will take the stage at The Independent, along with two other local acts, Vandella (from San Francisco) and M. Lockwood Porter (from Berkeley). Porter will play tracks from his upcoming folk-rock album, How To Dream Again, while Vandella will bring a much-needed female touch with sultry, throaty vocals from frontwoman Tracey Holland. For a triple-dose of hometown acts, each with their own interpretation of rock, don’t miss this night.

Travis Hayes
With M. Lockwood Porter and Vandella, at 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15, at The Independent. $12-$14; theindependentsf.com. - SF Weekly

"...they’ve cultivated an earnest 70s-era sound that shines through Strange Calls, perfect for the majestic drive through Big Sur on the ocean-hugging cliffs of the Pacific Coast Highway on a clear Summer day." - Crave

Vaguely alt-country, complete with twangy blues riffs, a lively backbeat, swirly organ and an immensely likable melody. - Avenue Live

#14 of 2013 - Nanobot Rock Reviews

San Francisco’s soulful alt-country band Vandella released their latest 4-song EP “Shine You Up” on Tuesday, and it’s really great.

If you aren’t familiar with the band, they play a raw, ’70s-style rock ‘n’ roll. Think “Exile on Main St.”-era Rolling Stones, Neko Case and The Band. Highlight tracks are “Foolish” and “Twin,” the latter being a riveting closer for the EP.

The band has been playing together since 2008, and put on a truly great live show. It’s particularly worth it to see vocalist Tracey Holland sing — she has an absolutely amazing voice that has to be seen to be believed.

They’ll be playing on 10/26 at Bottom of the Hill, if you happen to be in San Francisco, you should definitely catch them.

You can stream the whole thing below, and purchase it via their Bandcamp page. - Death + Taxes

Clay: I am sure it is getting redundant at this point, but seriously: what is in the water in San Francisco? It seems like every time we turn around, we are getting tapped on the shoulder by another band with a rocking album. Part of that probably has to do with each time we review one of these bands we end up loving, another bay area band sends us their album – call it an awesome spiral – but it seems like that part of the country is batting 1.000 right now.

The latest comes from the rock ‘n’ roll outfit Vandella and their 4th release Shine You Up, and frankly, all I can say at this point is I am blown away by their soulful 70′s sound and Tracey Holland’s vocals.

Greg: I will avoid diving into what they may or may not be partaking in around San Francisco, water or otherwise, it certainly is an epicenter for today’s music whether you admit it or not.

But as you mentioned, Shine You Up is a fantastic rolling, foot-stomping, four tracks that has me wondering what it is about Californians gravitating toward a Southern Rock sound and why they do it better than most. One side note though, I can’t see this foursome being sued for plagiarizing themselves; no matter how much “Foolish” may remind me of a certain other melody that shall not be named.

Impressively, I waited (and waited) for something to break the smooth, silky delivery of Vandella’s sound and it never came. Their vocal and instrumental delivery is devastatingly good.

Clay: Maybe I’ve just been spoiled with the sample data I’ve collected, but I don’t think it is too hard to mess up Americana; there’s just too many places that a band can hide flaws behind a couple classical riffs or catchy choruses. But this is an EP of a band that is coming into their own. They are not waiting on the world to change, but are marching forward with their brand of what rock should be. Chris Tye and Tracey Holland feed off of each other musically whether they are trading vocals in “Easy” or rollicking guitar riffs against punching lyrics in “Gold.” Plus the rhythm section of Fritz Mueller on bass and Dan Miller-Schroeder on drums are no musical slouches either, creating the architecture of jazz, blues, and good old-fashioned classic rock.

Greg: The guitar/vocals in “Gold,” need to be highlighted here. The sheer capacity of unadulterated rock that this single track bestows is so powerful that I had listened to it at least ten times before I ever even moved on to the remaining three songs.

Holland’s voice is absolutely intoxicating. Her range is only rivaled by her tenacity and booming presence. Her abilities most likely made the engineer’s job a whole lot easier. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to find a flaw; I’ll get back to you on that one.

Tye takes a pick, strikes a lick and smiles smugly as he watches your jaw drop to the floor. But almost most importantly and most impressively is, like you said, the rhythm section of Mueller and Miller-Schroeder. These two keep the band tight and pulse pounding throughout it all. It is a rambunctious back-woods party centered around them and everyone is invited. Long and short, this is a barn-burning group of four that should stick together for a very long time; if only because I can’t stand to think we would not get more of Vandella. - Nanobot Rock Reviews

Clay: I am sure it is getting redundant at this point, but seriously: what is in the water in San Francisco? It seems like every time we turn around, we are getting tapped on the shoulder by another band with a rocking album. Part of that probably has to do with each time we review one of these bands we end up loving, another bay area band sends us their album – call it an awesome spiral – but it seems like that part of the country is batting 1.000 right now.

The latest comes from the rock ‘n’ roll outfit Vandella and their 4th release Shine You Up, and frankly, all I can say at this point is I am blown away by their soulful 70's sound and Tracey Holland’s vocals.

Greg: I will avoid diving into what they may or may not be partaking in around San Francisco, water or otherwise, it certainly is an epicenter for today’s music whether you admit it or not.

But as you mentioned, Shine You Up is a fantastic rolling, foot-stomping, four tracks that has me wondering what it is about Californians gravitating toward a Southern Rock sound and why they do it better than most. One side note though, I can’t see this foursome being sued for plagiarizing themselves; no matter how much “Foolish” may remind me of a certain other melody that shall not be named.

Impressively, I waited (and waited) for something to break the smooth, silky delivery of Vandella’s sound and it never came. Their vocal and instrumental delivery is devastatingly good.

Clay: Maybe I’ve just been spoiled with the sample data I’ve collected, but I don’t think it is too hard to mess up Americana; there’s just too many places that a band can hide flaws behind a couple classical riffs or catchy choruses. But this is an EP of a band that is coming into their own. They are not waiting on the world to change, but are marching forward with their brand of what rock should be. Chris Tye and Tracey Holland feed off of each other musically whether they are trading vocals in “Easy” or rollicking guitar riffs against punching lyrics in “Gold.” Plus the rhythm section of Fritz Mueller on bass and Dan Miller-Schroeder on drums are no musical slouches either, creating the architecture of jazz, blues, and good old-fashioned classic rock.

Greg: The guitar/vocals in “Gold,” need to be highlighted here. The sheer capacity of unadulterated rock that this single track bestows is so powerful that I had listened to it at least ten times before I ever even moved on to the remaining three songs.

Holland’s voice is absolutely intoxicating. Her range is only rivaled by her tenacity and booming presence. Her abilities most likely made the engineer’s job a whole lot easier. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to find a flaw; I’ll get back to you on that one.

Tye takes a pick, strikes a lick and smiles smugly as he watches your jaw drop to the floor. But almost most importantly and most impressively is, like you said, the rhythm section of Mueller and Miller-Schroeder. These two keep the band tight and pulse pounding throughout it all. It is a rambunctious back-woods party centered around them and everyone is invited. Long and short, this is a barn-burning group of four that should stick together for a very long time; if only because I can’t stand to think we would not get more of Vandella. - Nanobot Rock Reviews

San Francisco’s soulful alt-country band Vandella released their latest 4-song EP “Shine You Up” on Tuesday, and it’s really great.

If you aren’t familiar with the band, they play a raw, ’70s-style rock ‘n’ roll. Think “Exile on Main St.”-era Rolling Stones, Neko Case and The Band. Highlight tracks are “Foolish” and “Twin,” the latter being a riveting closer for the EP.

The band has been playing together since 2008, and put on a truly great live show. It’s particularly worth it to see vocalist Tracey Holland sing — she has an absolutely amazing voice that has to be seen to be believed.

They’ll be playing on 10/26 at Bottom of the Hill, if you happen to be in San Francisco, you should definitely catch them.

You can stream the whole thing below, and purchase it via their Bandcamp page. - Death & Taxes

These guys (and a gal) are a really cool five-piece band based right here in San Francisco. We’ve never seen them play, nor have we met them, but we’re about to make sure that changes as soon as possible. They’ve got a really cool mix of sounds that touches on blues, indie-rock, folksy, rocky radicality. We talk about that kind of music a lot on here, but what’s going to set this group apart is the beautiful pipes on lead vocalist Tracey Holland. “Spring Refrain” has her showing a very soulful side of her abilities, while “Chains” takes on a really kickass in-your-face attitude. The instrumentation behind the voice is also very tight and diverse. The EP was released in September of ‘09 and recorded entirely in one take. They’re offering it up for free, but don’t be a buster. Offer a couple bucks, or pinky-promise to go see them live. - Front Porch Musings

Vandella has been wowing audiences with their sweet alt-country soul at places like the Bottom of the Hill and the Great American Music Hall and this is a rare opportunity to see them in one of the most unique and intimate rooms in the city. It's not for nothin' that lead singer Tracey Holland has been compared to the likes of Neko Case. She's got the kind of voice that will take your breath away and Vandella's songs will stick with you long after the show is over. - Disco Volante

"Vandella was a stunning band with electric guitars, a keyboardist, and vocalist and backup. The band is female fronted with Tracey Holland as vocalist - her voice powerful and soulful. The sound is many things - country influenced and based in indie rock and folk music." - Examiner.com

[Vandella] was a huge surprise…Singer Tracey Holland’s vocals were a-ma-zing live…If you’re into Neko Case/Jenny Lewis/insert-female-indie-darling-here, you’ll love Vandella. I only wish I’d known the songs so I could sing along. - The Mad Priest