Soapbox Army

Maps, the new EP from NYC based band was released on Tuesday, September 23 to great anticipation as our last conversation with lead singer and guitarist Dan Tucker and drummer Simon Fishburn (Episode 76 of the InnerCityGeeks Podcast) left us wanting more and wondering when we would be able to hear these new tunes.

Well now we know why we had to wait. It takes time and patience to create a masterpiece. That’s exactly what we have here. Each of the 4 songs on this EP is a work of musical art in its own right. Each track is a bonafide hit. Maps also makes the bands first recording with their current line-up and first recording with new bassist Matt Basile. It’s this new lineup that gives the band the best sounding and best music released to date.

The EP starts with “Say Something New”. Right off the bat we are introduced to Dan’s smooth vocals on a very catchy tune. It starts with an old school, familiar, safe riff, but then we sense a little bit of angst thrown in and we’ve come to the realization that this new lineup isn’t playing it safe anymore. They are in fact doing something new with Dan’s vocals combining with Simon’s rhythmic drumming and Matt’s bass that gives us only a small taste of what can only be described as musical perfection fit for any human soul. Making “Thoughts into Sound” is something that these guys have done extremely well and perfected in this opening track.

“Creatures” is the second and favorite track on the EP. As Steven (@misterjackal) simply puts it, “This is my Jam!” The second this track starts, my body is already moving. My head nodding, my fingers start to twitch and move like I am suddenly playing air guitar in my bedroom when I think no one’s watching, my leg bouncing trying to keep in time with the rhythm. It’s just a perfect song so lose yourself and to let loose. I’m doing all this and the vocals haven’t kicked in yet. This track is a rock purist dream.

David Bowie is nothing short of a musical genius and legend. So if you have the balls to do a cover of any one of his songs, you better make sure you know what you’re doing and do it perfectly. The third track on Maps is “Dead Man Walking” from David Bowie’s 1997 release Earthling, which was written by Bowie and Reeves Gabrels. Soapbox Army gives us an awesome trippy, somewhat electric, yet stripped down, simplified version that excels and makes it their very own. If there were any lingering questions about Dan’s vocal abilities, they are put to rest here, as his voice projects beautifully. This is Dan Tucker at his vocal best.

The last track on this EP is “Brick Moon”. It immediately picks the tempo right up. You can honestly hear how much fun this trio had recording this track. The guitar and drum work highlights this fun and catchy track.

Another 5 out 5 Star rating, the Maps Ep took us on a fun and memorable, yet sadly short journey that left us only wanting, craving more. This is the band at their best. The only scary thing is, that Soapbox Army, has yet to hit their ceiling. If Maps is any indication, this band is one to watch, and listen for in the very near future, as I feel they will only get better. Much, much better.

Do yourselves a favor and listen to Soapbox Army’s EP on Soundcloud, or download it on Itunes, Amazon and wherever you can get your music from. You won’t be disappointed. - Charley, innercitygeeks.com

So why don’t you introduce to our readers?

I’m Dan Tucker, singer/guitarist in Soapbox Army.



How did you get yourself involved in the music scene?

I played piano and drums briefly when I was younger but never had the patience and maturity to stick with either. I picked up the guitar in college and started writing songs that I thought were good at the time but in retrospect were pretty shit haha. After college I continued to write and eventually gained the courage to get up and play at a few open mics. Getting a decent response from the crowd was really the impetus for me to go and record my songs professionally. The band grew from there.



What are your music influences?

Jeff Buckley, dredg, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Tool, Nirvana, Tears for Fears, Cat Stevens, CSNY, Elliott Smith. Really too many to name. More recently the new wave of R&B artists like Miguel, The Weeknd and Frank Ocean.



How was it to work with Little Pioneer?

It was great. He actually produced both of our albums. He has incredible sensibilities when it comes to music and they almost always align with my own. He’s also a songwriter so he can look at songs from an outside perspective and really see what will take them to the next level. I feel like I’m doing a commercial for the guy but he really is good at what he does and he’s a good friend.



So what does a new member mean musically speaking?

Matt is our new bassist. We’ve gone through many different lineups and I think we’ve finally arrived at the right mix. The band’s a trio now so we all have to step up our game in terms of what we do live. Matt is an excellent player and experiments with a lot of effects which really adds to our live show. He also has great hair, according to his twitter account.



What’s your songwriting method?

I usually either get a music or vocal melody stuck in my head that I record onto my phone and then work it out on acoustic guitar. Or I’ll just pick up the guitar and create some sound that feels unique or interesting and work from there. I almost always write music first and lyrics second. I need to have a great melody first and that sort of dictates what type of sound or mood I want for the song. I’ll then bring the skeleton of the idea to the band and we’ll develop it together.



Reactor. Why dont you tell us more about the writing and recording process?

We had been playing a lot of the songs live for awhile before recording, and then added a few more to the mix. We got together with Little Pioneer (Craig Levy) and worked on refining the arrangements, adding vocal harmonies and fine-tuning lyrics. It took about a year to record, mix and master.



Why the title?

I liked the idea of a reactor and how it confines energy but also has the potential to explode. I’m a pretty reserved guy who tends to bottle up most of my feelings but then I let loose on our albums. As the cliché goes, music is like therapy. I also think that this album deals more with observational reactions to the world and our surroundings as opposed to our first album which is a bit more personal.



So there’s a new EP rumour. What can you tell us about it? Any official release date, title in mind?

We’re discussing how we want to release our next batch of songs. Most likely we will be doing a single or 7” and start releasing a couple tracks at a time from now on. We’d like to keep a consistent flow of new material instead of releasing an EP or LP every year or two. Once we have enough songs we may compile them into an EP or LP. We’re aiming to have these next songs out by late 2013/early 2014. There is definitely a theme developing for this next batch of songs. There could be a concept album coming eventually, minus the 11-minute prog jams.



What have been one of the most hilarious moments you have been while touring or playing a gig?

Actually our last gig! We were playing a show at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC. I use a megaphone on one song and after the show some drunk guy kept coming over to me and trying to grab it. He was slurring his words, saying “Lemme just use it for a second.” Finally I said ok and told him to bring it back, like I was directing a child. He walked outside and disappeared. Who the hell steals a megaphone?!



So what’s next in Soapbox Army’s world?

We’re currently working on a stop-motion video for the song “Headlight” from Reactor, which should be out in the next couple months. Also starting pre-production on this next batch of songs while planning out our live schedule and possible touring in the near future.



Where can we find more about your music?

http://www.soapboxarmy.com

http://soapboxarmy.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/soapboxarmy

http://www.reverbnation.com/soapboxarmy

https://twitter.com/SoapboxArmy

https://www.facebook.com/soapboxarmy

- Vents Magazine

Once again it’s Monday, but we’ve got some great music to help get you through the day. Straight out of NYC is Soapbox Army, an intriguing and energetic Rock quartet with a slew of awesome tracks for you to enjoy. Their new LP, Reactor, is a diverse assemblage of slow and mid tempo songs that will keep your rocking out over and over again. Check them out, connect with them (see links below) and show them your love and support. - ampedsounds.com

‘Soapbox Army’ is sort of an enigma in the New York City indie rock scene. This doesn’t have as much to do with any mysterious nature. ‘Soapbox Army’ is not that kind of group, and the members are clearly labeled- Dan Tucker plays guitar and sings the songs, Pheroze Karai plays lead, Bill McBreen bears the bass, and Simon Fishburn is our drummer rounding out the foursome.

So without the mystery aspect, what type of enigma are they?

Let’s start like this- an enigma can be a mysterious and odd person. Considering the tight unity of ‘Soapbox Army’ and the unity of quality bands, a band can be considered a single entity- an enigma.

What make the group so confounding and puzzling is their uniformity and the absolute raw tightness of their sound. Their sophomore full-length album ‘Reactor’ is sophisticated but relentless, teetering between absolute loss and chaos and the fine-tuned production of a meticulous quilt worker.

It essentially sums up all of life.

Of course, it is probably wise we slow down, because music is only music and never will be more than music- I think. But this is where the enigma aspect arises- when is music more than music, and why does ‘Soapbox Army’ sound so damn good at being great?

Listen closely. You can hear it. The tracks on ‘Reactor’ are more than just neat little rock jams. Sure, they channel rock and roll anthems of classic rock energy with the modern appeal of punk and folk rock. They touch on certain lyrical ideas, adding just enough vagueness to be interesting without being overtly and perhaps annoyingly metaphorical.

‘100 Times’ is a chaotic romp, a sort of anarchic roil through vicious drumming and impeccable lead guitar work. The album opens with the most energizing lead-in for an album of recent memory. If any album set a tone in its first moments, it is ‘Reactor’ and the track ‘Hurtling Towards the Sun;’ it’s instantly memorable and ear-catching. What an opening!

The enigma aspect rises again. When a band can do the tense chaotic rock pieces as well as they do the drama-infused balladry? ‘My Oh My’ is gorgeous, not overstaying its welcome and leaving a resonating impression long after its close.

‘Soapbox Army’ is a class act. They use the idea of an enigma to remain polarizing, sensational, perturbing, all in a single collection of 9 tightly-made (while also sprawling) rock epics. With a nice touch of electronics, and some high class vocal work, ‘Soapbox Army’ swoons and attracts and never ever let go. - Ryan, thenoisebeneaththeapple.com

Your name:
Dan Tucker.

Where are you from?
New York City, USA.

Name of band:
Soapbox Army.

Who else is in your band?
Matt Basile – Bass
Simon Fishburn – Drums, Samples, Background Vocals

How would you describe yourselves?
Rock with some atmospheric and electronic moments. Constantly evolving.

Who are your main influences musically?
Jeff Buckley, dredg, Radiohead, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin. Although we’ve been compared to bands like Foo Fighters, The Gaslight Anthem, Silverchair, The Replacements.

What do you hope to achieve in music?
Most importantly, to create work that we’re consistently proud of and keep striving for more. To make a living playing music and perhaps become a household name someday.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
I think we’re still waiting for that one true “highlight.” So far, it’s been the fact that we’ve recorded two well-received albums and been able to play at some really prestigious venues around NYC.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
Personally, having to cut a show short because I lost my voice. Not my proudest moment.

If you could choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
The Tower. I think it’s a good representation of what we do best – unconventional melodies that are still accessible and catchy.

Where can we listen to it?
http://soapboxarmy.bandcamp.com/track/the-tower

Where can we find out more about your music?
http://www.soapboxarmy.com
http://soapboxarmy.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/soapboxarmy
http://www.twitter.com/soapboxarmy
http://www.reverbnation.com/soapboxarmy
http://www.itunes.com/soapboxarmy

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?
Right now, we’re working on a video for a song from our latest album, ‘Reactor,’ as well as songs for a new EP. Hope to have some new tunes out in the world by late 2013.
We recently became a trio. Looking to give Rush, The Police, and The Fat Boys a run for their money. - Real Sounds OK

On August 8th, I received a twitter notification that a band called Soapbox Army was following me. Being curious, I did two things. I googled them and struck a small conversation with them. Soapbox Army is a four piece rock band (Dan Tucker – Guitar & Vocals, Pheroze Karai – Lead Guitar, Bill McBreen – Bass & Background Vocals, and Simon Fishburn – Drums/Samples/Triggers) from our hometown of NYC, that originated in 2008 and released their self title debut album in April 2009.

Even more interested I started listening to some of their tunes. I was instantly hooked. I immediately purchased their sophomore release Reactor and gave it a few listens. What I received in turn was what I can only be described as real true American rock reminiscent of an equally great band The Gaslight Anthem (only with more of a punch). The lyrics, melodies, guitar, drum work and vocals all work cohesively throughout the album as there is not one dull track on the entire record. Each track provides that sing along sensation that fans love and would be able to do at any of Soapbox Army’s upcoming shows.

Standout tracks on this Reactor are “100 Times”, “The Underground” (the guitar work is nothing short of amazing here). “Headlight” (my personal favorite), “Mountain”, and “Santa Maria” are other standout tracks on this amazing CD.

I highly recommend picking up this CD via iTunes or the bands website www.soapboxarmy.com as I can surely see this band hitting the big time. I am just waiting for that moment when I turn on the rock station (thank you for coming back 101.9FM) and having that “wait, that’s my band!” moment as Soapbox Army blares from my speakers.

The only thing left for me to do now, is to download their debut CD as well.

I will happily give Soapbox Army’s Reactor – 5/5 - InnerCityGeeks.com

Seeing what’s going on the East Coast due to Hurricane Sandy isn’t something I can wrap my mind around. My imagination just isn’t that strong, and I know that if this had been the one time in my life I’d saved up enough money to visit New York, I’d be dead. I get frantic pretty easily. You should see how tense I get in the car on a freeway. So even though my heart can be as cold as Cruella De Vil most times, I sincerely feel for everyone over there right now. I have friends there, but there are also a lot of great people who make Golden Mixtape thrive over there as well, PR lovelies and awesome bands, including Soapbox Army.

Soapbox Army is a through and through rock band from NYC who released their second album, Reactor, back in April earlier this year. And while Sandy may have shaken up their normal routine as of late, they’re not ready to slow down and have their eyes set on big things like next year’s SXSW down in Austin, TX. So read on to find out more about how Soapbox Army survived Sandy, their thing with April and what grinds their gears.

Kendra Beltran: You guys are amidst Hurricane Sandy (hopefully all safe and sound)…Do you even worry about band stuff when Mother Nature is being that insane??

Dan Tucker: It has definitely been pretty insane – I personally have been without power for almost a week. And for some people it’s been a lot worse. For the most part I’ve been getting updates on the aftermath of the storm, but there’s a whole lot of down time where I’ve thought about the band. We had rehearsals and a video shoot scheduled for this week, and we’ve been working on a bunch of new material. Music is my life so no matter what happens it’s on my mind. It just moved down on the priority list for a minute.

Kendra: What’s up with the April fascination? First your debut album dropped in April 2009, and then you released Reactor in April earlier this year.

Dan: It’s funny because I was just thinking this the other day and wondering whether our next recording will be released in April as well. I have no idea why but for some reason both albums came out that month. It wasn’t intentional. We’re an indie band so it’s just the date that iTunes decides as the official release date. It’s the spring though, so a good time to release an album. And it offsets the sort of darker material on the albums.

Kendra: Soapbox Army obviously likes to take their time creating new music. So would it be safe to assume we won’t get some new music in April 2013, or do you guys have something in store to release? ?

Dan: The last two were full albums and we wanted to take the time to craft them and pick the absolute best songs. We’re working on new material now and hoping to release an EP in spring/summer 2013. Shooting for April! We’d like to start having a steady stream of new material coming out; at least one new batch of songs per year. People have zero attention spans these days and in order to keep top of mind this is pretty essential for any band.

Kendra: One review I read compared you to The Gaslight Anthem. It’s of course awesome but at the same time I have to ask…When you hear that does it make you think, if we’re at that level, when’s our big break? ?

Dan: The thought definitely crosses your mind when you read a comparison to a more established band. Even though I don’t think we sound like them, I was happy to be compared to them because I respect them as musicians. The Gaslight Anthem are at a good point in their career now, but they’ve been trudging it out for awhile. I think it’s only fair that a band pays their dues; it usually equates to longevity if you’re good. We haven’t been around for that long and we’re still working to build this thing, but I’m confident that we’ll get there.

Kendra: Maybe it’ll be at one of the festivals you have in the works to play. Share a little more about what’s coming up for you guys in the show department…?

Dan: Right now we have some local NYC shows planned but we’re also dealing with changes to our current lineup so the focus has shifted to writing new songs as well as creating videos for songs from our latest album, Reactor. We’re hoping to do a regional tour soon and play some festivals this coming spring and summer. Would be great to be part of SXSW.

Kendra: It had to come up sooner or later, but what’s one issue you have to get on your personal soapbox for? ?

Dan: I’ll keep the more earnest opinions to the songs and just say I’m anti-Broccoli. Mistakenly ate some the other day; terrible.

Kendra: Now to make you a part of the Golden Mixtape family, it’s time to make one. I want your top 5 songs that helped you get through Hurricane Sandy, go!

Dan:
The Joy Formidable “The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie”
City & Colour “Weightless”
Jeff Buckley “Grace”
Radiohead “Let Down”
Donovan “Season of the Witch” (it was playing in the only shop open in my area after the hurricane – plus I always dug this tune) - goldenmixtape.wordpress.com

A few weeks ago, we reviewed the latest album from Soapbox Army Reactor. Since that review, we kept communicating back and forth and we eventually had the brilliant idea to reach out and ask if they wanted to interview with us. They agreed! We spoke with Dan Tucker (vocals/guitar) and Simon Fishburn (drummer/backup vocals) the night before their show at Sullivan Hall. The following is a taste of our interview but soon you will hear the interview in its entirety on the InnerCityGeeks Podcast!

Q: Where did you come up with the name for Soapbox Army?
Dan – I started the band about 2007. I just started it as a solo project. I had a list of basically 100’s of names, and it just kind of came out. I mean, I don’t know exactly where it came from, but I just like the idea of it. I saw something on line about how a modern form of a soapbox is a blog, and I was kind of thinking about the fact that everyone and their mothers has a blog, twitter, or facebook now, including us. So it felt like putting together the soapbox and army kind of gave it a bigger vibe or energy to it. I just like the idea of everyone having their own voice nowadays. You can see any kind of opinion is put out there nowadays. I think part of the band, the music can be opinionated. It’s definitely not political. I think some people might see it and take it like standing on a soapbox definitely has a connotation of being political, but it’s basically about having strong opinions. I just like the way it sounded. When I pitched it to my producer he was like “There has to be another band with that name” To him it sounded like there was a band that existed with that name already. So for me, it was confirmation that it was a good name.

Q: What did you guys listen to growing up? What were your influences?
Simon – I grew up in Australia, and my whole family is from is from England. I listened to a lot of British Pop and Rock. The Police were massive for me when I was younger. Huge influence for me. I like a lot of American rock as well. Bon Jovi was my first ever concert. The “Slippery When Wet” tour. I was really young. Back in the 80’s! A friend and myself were allowed to go by ourselves. It was a rush! They all had the hair flying around. It was really cool. I think from that point on I was like “THIS IS WHAT I’M GONNA DO!” Including having that hair, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out.

Q: How long have you guys been performing?
Simon – Since, I was 7 or 8. So, quite a few years
Dan – I started playing when I was a kid. I started playing the piano and drums. Kind of dabbled in everything. In college, I really took on the guitar as a main instrument.

Q. For those who haven’t heard of Soapbox Army, how would you describe the music?
Dan – It’s hard. You can say there’s elements of rock, pop and funk. It all kind of folds into a rock feel. I think we inject all of our different influences and playing styles into our music. I don’t know how to categorize it other than, we’re a rock band.

Q. When you guys record, do you just jam or do you need sheet music?
Dan – I don’t read music. Simon does.
Simon – I need visual prompting. We all have different ways of doing stuff. Basically, we’ve been rehearsing for shows we’re doing, but we’re also dedicating time to writing new material, and we’re just been jamming out with that.

Q. If you guys had to do one cover song, what would it be?
Dan – In the past, I did a Van Morrison song I always wanted to do
Simon – I am thinking something more like a Radiohead song.
Dan – Or even taking like a pop song and doing it in a totally different way.
Simon – Like Alien Ant Farm doing the cover of Smooth Criminal.

Q. Where do you see the current state of rock music and what does rock music mean to you?
Dan – I’ve been thinking about just how “rock is dead”.
Simon – I think it may be in terms of top 40, probably not the current trend, but it’s certainly alive. A lot of people still love listening to it. The reason for that, it’s like a good three-piece suit. It’s always going to be fashionable.
Dan – It seems like there’s a little bit of a resurgence here lately. There’s a lot of 90’s band reuniting, there are bands like Gaslight Anthem, who are building a huge following, and I think people love this kind of genuine music. I think that’s where our music comes from. It’s very heartfelt and it’s a human album. - innercitygeeks.com

A few weeks ago, we reviewed the latest album from Soapbox Army Reactor. Since that review, we kept communicating back and forth and we eventually had the brilliant idea to reach out and ask if they wanted to interview with us. They agreed! We spoke with Dan Tucker (vocals/guitar) and Simon Fishburn (drummer/backup vocals) the night before their show at Sullivan Hall. The following is a taste of our interview but soon you will hear the interview in its entirety on the InnerCityGeeks Podcast!

Q: Where did you come up with the name for Soapbox Army?
Dan – I started the band about 2007. I just started it as a solo project. I had a list of basically 100’s of names, and it just kind of came out. I mean, I don’t know exactly where it came from, but I just like the idea of it. I saw something on line about how a modern form of a soapbox is a blog, and I was kind of thinking about the fact that everyone and their mothers has a blog, twitter, or facebook now, including us. So it felt like putting together the soapbox and army kind of gave it a bigger vibe or energy to it. I just like the idea of everyone having their own voice nowadays. You can see any kind of opinion is put out there nowadays. I think part of the band, the music can be opinionated. It’s definitely not political. I think some people might see it and take it like standing on a soapbox definitely has a connotation of being political, but it’s basically about having strong opinions. I just like the way it sounded. When I pitched it to my producer he was like “There has to be another band with that name” To him it sounded like there was a band that existed with that name already. So for me, it was confirmation that it was a good name.

Q: What did you guys listen to growing up? What were your influences?
Simon – I grew up in Australia, and my whole family is from is from England. I listened to a lot of British Pop and Rock. The Police were massive for me when I was younger. Huge influence for me. I like a lot of American rock as well. Bon Jovi was my first ever concert. The “Slippery When Wet” tour. I was really young. Back in the 80’s! A friend and myself were allowed to go by ourselves. It was a rush! They all had the hair flying around. It was really cool. I think from that point on I was like “THIS IS WHAT I’M GONNA DO!” Including having that hair, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out.

Q: How long have you guys been performing?
Simon – Since, I was 7 or 8. So, quite a few years
Dan – I started playing when I was a kid. I started playing the piano and drums. Kind of dabbled in everything. In college, I really took on the guitar as a main instrument.

Q. For those who haven’t heard of Soapbox Army, how would you describe the music?
Dan – It’s hard. You can say there’s elements of rock, pop and funk. It all kind of folds into a rock feel. I think we inject all of our different influences and playing styles into our music. I don’t know how to categorize it other than, we’re a rock band.

Q. When you guys record, do you just jam or do you need sheet music?
Dan – I don’t read music. Simon does.
Simon – I need visual prompting. We all have different ways of doing stuff. Basically, we’ve been rehearsing for shows we’re doing, but we’re also dedicating time to writing new material, and we’re just been jamming out with that.

Q. If you guys had to do one cover song, what would it be?
Dan – In the past, I did a Van Morrison song I always wanted to do
Simon – I am thinking something more like a Radiohead song.
Dan – Or even taking like a pop song and doing it in a totally different way.
Simon – Like Alien Ant Farm doing the cover of Smooth Criminal.

Q. Where do you see the current state of rock music and what does rock music mean to you?
Dan – I’ve been thinking about just how “rock is dead”.
Simon – I think it may be in terms of top 40, probably not the current trend, but it’s certainly alive. A lot of people still love listening to it. The reason for that, it’s like a good three-piece suit. It’s always going to be fashionable.
Dan – It seems like there’s a little bit of a resurgence here lately. There’s a lot of 90’s band reuniting, there are bands like Gaslight Anthem, who are building a huge following, and I think people love this kind of genuine music. I think that’s where our music comes from. It’s very heartfelt and it’s a human album. - innercitygeeks.com

In just about one year Soapbox Army has managed to make quite a few ears pay attention. The NYC band plays rather reflective alt rock with a mellow, existential attitude. Their self titled debut album showcases Dan Tucker's crisp vocal tone and his talent for unconventional pop melodies. A tight band of 7 (Dan's guitar included) backs the vocalist with multifaceted arrangements including keyboards, electronic effects and a cello. The band will play Santos Party house on July 11, and you may want to be there. - thedelimagazine.com

‘Soapbox Army’ is sort of an enigma in the New York City indie rock scene. This doesn’t have as much to do with any mysterious nature. ‘Soapbox Army’ is not that kind of group, and the members are clearly labeled- Dan Tucker plays guitar and sings the songs, Pheroze Karai plays lead, Bill McBreen bears the bass, and Simon Fishburn is our drummer rounding out the foursome.

So without the mystery aspect, what type of enigma are they?

Let’s start like this- an enigma can be a mysterious and odd person. Considering the tight unity of ‘Soapbox Army’ and the unity of quality bands, a band can be considered a single entity- an enigma.

What make the group so confounding and puzzling is their uniformity and the absolute raw tightness of their sound. Their sophomore full-length album ‘Reactor’ is sophisticated but relentless, teetering between absolute loss and chaos and the fine-tuned production of a meticulous quilt worker.

It essentially sums up all of life.

Of course, it is probably wise we slow down, because music is only music and never will be more than music- I think. But this is where the enigma aspect arises- when is music more than music, and why does ‘Soapbox Army’ sound so damn good at being great?

Listen closely. You can hear it. The tracks on ‘Reactor’ are more than just neat little rock jams. Sure, they channel rock and roll anthems of classic rock energy with the modern appeal of punk and folk rock. They touch on certain lyrical ideas, adding just enough vagueness to be interesting without being overtly and perhaps annoyingly metaphorical.

‘100 Times’ is a chaotic romp, a sort of anarchic roil through vicious drumming and impeccable lead guitar work. The album opens with the most energizing lead-in for an album of recent memory. If any album set a tone in its first moments, it is ‘Reactor’ and the track ‘Hurtling Towards the Sun;’ it’s instantly memorable and ear-catching. What an opening!
The enigma aspect rises again. When a band can do the tense chaotic rock pieces as well as they do the drama-infused balladry? ‘My Oh My’ is gorgeous, not overstaying its welcome and leaving a resonating impression long after its close.

‘Soapbox Army’ is a class act. They use the idea of an enigma to remain polarizing, sensational, perturbing, all in a single collection of 9 tightly-made (while also sprawling) rock epics. With a nice touch of electronics, and some high class vocal work, ‘Soapbox Army’ swoons and attracts and never ever let go. - The Noise Beneath The Apple

The quality of this album is top notch for indie rock. Bordering on indie pop, the diversity of the music instrumentation makes this worth a listen to by itself. Once you add in the quality lyrics, you have something that is worth paying attention to. My only dislike from the album is that the vocals drift a little close to the Goo Goo Dolls for my liking on some tracks. That being said, for a first album, this shows quite a bit of promise. - marktopia.net

*As our readers know: We try to cover all sorts of new music here on BuzzOfTheBay. This includes, occasionally, a band that is not from our backyard. Soapbox is an East Coast band, but upon discovering their music I felt compelled to share it with all BOTBers.*

Sometimes the music itself is enough. That seems to be a diminishing outlook in today’s world of instant messaging and information delivery. We exist in a constant state of sensory overload, combining our thirst for great sounds with visual accompaniments and every stimulating plug-in (both audio and video) we can acquire through our always expanding at-home portals. Soapbox Army managed to stripped away the excess in order to craft a wonderfully poetic debut record (self-titled).

Their sound captures the sentiment of some of the more popular bands out there minus the necessary fluff aimed at record-buying tweens. Think the Fray mixed with a dash of early Pearl Jam, Jeffrey Gaines, the Shins, and Joseph Arthur. This is lyrically-driven pop music for the disenfranchised. Soapbox combines obvious respect for their influences with a sincere desire to forge their own sound amidst the surface noise. Their vulnerability is captivating and makes for a deeper, more sincere connection to the music.

“The Tower” (Berlin Wall) opens the album with garage- pop style drums and an emotive, catchy chorus. Their sound is an immediate indicator of the band’s ability to write intelligently; keeping the music magnetic without sounding soulless and pretentious. “Nine” sounds like something Eddie Vedder would write if he was exploring the lighter side of popular music. Lead singer Dan Tucker sounds gorgeously morose on “in plain sight” and “sticks and stones”; ballads that do not get old after numerous spins. The vibe here is Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” with greater depth. The band conjures classic Temple of the Dog kinds of sounds on “Crumble”, a track that would’ve been right at home on the Singles soundtrack, yet offers a fresh perspective. While there is familiarity in the sounds here the overall sonic signature belongs solely to Soapbox Army.

Creating a stamp that is completely your own gets increasingly difficult as you get older. You absorb your surroundings, your influences; the things that excite and stimulate your mind. Soapbox has taken these experiences and created a musical window into their own version of the world around them. That pictures is one of beauty and darkness, as well as beauty within the darkness. The band has a reason to be proud of their efforts. This record is a glimmer of creative hope in our overly polished world.

The album was recorded and produced by Craig Levy of Little Pioneer at his independently owned and operated Cider House studio in Brooklyn. Levy also lent his efforts in the writing of the songs as well as some of the instrumentation. He too has reason to be proud, and we look forward to hearing more music from the Cider House/Little Pioneer family. - bandsofthebay.com (Buzz Of The Bay blog)

Soapbox Army wields a sophisticated debut release, containing great production and an interesting array of unique songs that should appeal to the pop / indie / alternative rock crowd.

Soapbox Army requires more than one listen to get to know at any length. I thought they were a solo acoustic act before listening to their self-titled album in full. It quickly became clear that their instrumentation was far more sophisticated than one guitar.

They're most commonly publicized track, "The Tower" reminds me of Death cab's Plans album. It has that Rhodes and pulsing, repetitive drum beat, which is incredibly addictive. Most of the instrumentation on the record is like this: Highly rythymic, cutting grooves by the band which is comprised of Dan Tucker (Guitar & Vox), Dustin Brayley (Rhythm Guitar, Backup Vox), Walt Kresa (Bass), Kevin Wolkober (Keys & Effects), Rick Torres (Drums). Each song's instrumentation is as hypnotizing as the last's, thanks to the incredible backing music which continually nods to some of Radiohead's stuff. Listen to "House on the Moon."

Vocally, Dan tucker's singing isn't my favorite, though there are some beautiful tonal moments on the record. His melodies, however, are quite nice, scoring each song some character and listenability points. I get a heavy smack of Goo Goo Dolls from Tucker's tone, and "Sleepwalkers" on the record is a perfect example of it.

Mostly, this album is successful because of the very loved nature of it. The tracks sound cared for, not rushed, and accomplished. So, while there are pieces that don't appeal to me stylistically, I can take solace in that the group released a piece of art they put themselves into, making an otherwise non-fan an appreciator, nonetheless.

- praiseforwallflower.com

*As our readers know: We try to cover all sorts of new music here on BuzzOfTheBay. This includes, occasionally, a band that is not from our backyard. Soapbox is an East Coast band, but upon discovering their music I felt compelled to share it with all BOTBers.*

Sometimes the music itself is enough. That seems to be a diminishing outlook in today’s world of instant messaging and information delivery. We exist in a constant state of sensory overload, combining our thirst for great sounds with visual accompaniments and every stimulating plug-in (both audio and video) we can acquire through our always expanding at-home portals. Soapbox Army managed to stripped away the excess in order to craft a wonderfully poetic debut record (self-titled).

Their sound captures the sentiment of some of the more popular bands out there minus the necessary fluff aimed at record-buying tweens. Think the Fray mixed with a dash of early Pearl Jam, Jeffrey Gaines, the Shins, and Joseph Arthur. This is lyrically-driven pop music for the disenfranchised. Soapbox combines obvious respect for their influences with a sincere desire to forge their own sound amidst the surface noise. Their vulnerability is captivating and makes for a deeper, more sincere connection to the music.

“The Tower” (Berlin Wall) opens the album with garage- pop style drums and an emotive, catchy chorus. Their sound is an immediate indicator of the band’s ability to write intelligently; keeping the music magnetic without sounding soulless and pretentious. “Nine” sounds like something Eddie Vedder would write if he was exploring the lighter side of popular music. Lead singer Dan Tucker sounds gorgeously morose on “in plain sight” and “sticks and stones”; ballads that do not get old after numerous spins. The vibe here is Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” with greater depth. The band conjures classic Temple of the Dog kinds of sounds on “Crumble”, a track that would’ve been right at home on the Singles soundtrack, yet offers a fresh perspective. While there is familiarity in the sounds here the overall sonic signature belongs solely to Soapbox Army.

Creating a stamp that is completely your own gets increasingly difficult as you get older. You absorb your surroundings, your influences; the things that excite and stimulate your mind. Soapbox has taken these experiences and created a musical window into their own version of the world around them. That pictures is one of beauty and darkness, as well as beauty within the darkness. The band has a reason to be proud of their efforts. This record is a glimmer of creative hope in our overly polished world.

The album was recorded and produced by Craig Levy of Little Pioneer at his independently owned and operated Cider House studio in Brooklyn. Levy also lent his efforts in the writing of the songs as well as some of the instrumentation. He too has reason to be proud, and we look forward to hearing more music from the Cider House/Little Pioneer family. - bandsofthebay.com (Buzz Of The Bay blog)