The Complaints

There's a three-way tie between songs that share DNA--great bass, great drums and some great vocals by Dean Petrella on The Complaints album, entitled "sunday morning radio." there's no way I can separate them. - JSI Top 21

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT THE COMPLAINTS?

“There aren't many bands that know how to please a crowd much better than these guys, and their records certainly don't disappoint, either.”
- Pulver-Radio NYC March 2005


“On Criminal Mind, The Complaints play intense, scowling rock with a mean left hook. It rocks, it’s smart and singer Dean Petrella can sing one heck of an anthem chorus!
-Performing Songwriter Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

“Think power pop a la Elvis Costello, add a dash of Dave Matthews tip-toe pop, mix in a little Stones, and you have a winning formula!”
-Providence Phoenix (November 2002)


“Criminal Mind has been in my CD player since the day I got it. It is easily one of the best CD’s in my collection…. they are at the top of both my rotation list and my recommendation list. I give this album a perfect score!
-Empathypromotion.com
Canadian Radio Review
(November 2002)


“The Complaints straight ahead, American rock should appeal to fans of Matchbox 20, REM, The Wallflowers, and early Tom Petty.”
-Starpolish.com (December 2002)





www.thecomplaints.com
- Multiple

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT THE COMPLAINTS?

“There aren't many bands that know how to please a crowd much better than these guys, and their records certainly don't disappoint, either.”
- Pulver-Radio NYC March 2005


“On Criminal Mind, The Complaints play intense, scowling rock with a mean left hook. It rocks, it’s smart and singer Dean Petrella can sing one heck of an anthem chorus!
-Performing Songwriter Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

“Think power pop a la Elvis Costello, add a dash of Dave Matthews tip-toe pop, mix in a little Stones, and you have a winning formula!”
-Providence Phoenix (November 2002)


“Criminal Mind has been in my CD player since the day I got it. It is easily one of the best CD’s in my collection…. they are at the top of both my rotation list and my recommendation list. I give this album a perfect score!
-Empathypromotion.com
Canadian Radio Review
(November 2002)


“The Complaints straight ahead, American rock should appeal to fans of Matchbox 20, REM, The Wallflowers, and early Tom Petty.”
-Starpolish.com (December 2002)





www.thecomplaints.com
- Multiple

The Complaints hail from Rhode Island and my first introduction to them was the 1999/2000 debut Fear which engineer Phil Greene (Beaver Brown, New Kids on the Block and my own sessions recording Buddy Guy in 1986/1987) was involved with. Greene’s name might’ve piqued my interest, but it always comes down to the music after the door is opened. This writer’s reviews of Fear and its successor, 2002’s Criminal Mind, stand true today…the conclusion to the Criminal Mind review stating “If Fear was the “admirable first effort,” then Criminal Mind, both the title track and LP, is a sophomore success creating anticipation for this group’s future work.”.

The CD single “Trade Up” proved that 2002 prediction to be true. Exploding through the speakers it caught the attention of Jimi Hendrix/Carly Simon/Patti Labelle friend and colleague Buzzy Linhart with a phone call saying “I LOVE TRADE UP”, Linhart getting his copy of the disc to San Francisco DJ K-Os (mix-master for George Clinton’s P-Funk) who started playing the song at John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom room in SF.

Well, simultaneous with their airplay at the Boom Boom Room the band went out to Los Angeles to work with Chris Lord-Alge on a follow-up single, “South Side Suicide.” This is exactly what artists need to do in the new millennium…put out great single after great single, and SSS is a perfect follow-up to “Trade-Up” with both an explicit and a clean version. As with “Trade Up” there’s a riveting guitar line and hooks galore. All in a quick hit that delivers the goods and leaves you wanting for more.

Of course the trio of Petrella, Marotti and Cruz could have all decided that Dean Petrella sing “Time is funking with my mind!” instead of leaving the “n” out of funking, but that’s a minor distraction, the “clean” version just has the word evaporate (take that James Blunt who replaced “f…ng high with flying high” on his monster hit “You’re Beautiful”). Speaking of James Blunt, his 2009 upload of the chart record is almost at 32 million spins..yikes…the flying high version…The Complaints “South Side Suicide”, uploaded in Dec of 2012 has less than 1,000 hits for the time being, but that’s ok, they’re just getting ready to rock with this one. - TMR Zoo

The Complaints hail from Rhode Island and my first introduction to them was the 1999/2000 debut Fear which engineer Phil Greene (Beaver Brown, New Kids on the Block and my own sessions recording Buddy Guy in 1986/1987) was involved with. Greene’s name might’ve piqued my interest, but it always comes down to the music after the door is opened. This writer’s reviews of Fear and its successor, 2002’s Criminal Mind, stand true today…the conclusion to the Criminal Mind review stating “If Fear was the “admirable first effort,” then Criminal Mind, both the title track and LP, is a sophomore success creating anticipation for this group’s future work.”.

The CD single “Trade Up” proved that 2002 prediction to be true. Exploding through the speakers it caught the attention of Jimi Hendrix/Carly Simon/Patti Labelle friend and colleague Buzzy Linhart with a phone call saying “I LOVE TRADE UP”, Linhart getting his copy of the disc to San Francisco DJ K-Os (mix-master for George Clinton’s P-Funk) who started playing the song at John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom room in SF.

Well, simultaneous with their airplay at the Boom Boom Room the band went out to Los Angeles to work with Chris Lord-Alge on a follow-up single, “South Side Suicide.” This is exactly what artists need to do in the new millennium…put out great single after great single, and SSS is a perfect follow-up to “Trade-Up” with both an explicit and a clean version. As with “Trade Up” there’s a riveting guitar line and hooks galore. All in a quick hit that delivers the goods and leaves you wanting for more.

Of course the trio of Petrella, Marotti and Cruz could have all decided that Dean Petrella sing “Time is funking with my mind!” instead of leaving the “n” out of funking, but that’s a minor distraction, the “clean” version just has the word evaporate (take that James Blunt who replaced “f…ng high with flying high” on his monster hit “You’re Beautiful”). Speaking of James Blunt, his 2009 upload of the chart record is almost at 32 million spins..yikes…the flying high version…The Complaints “South Side Suicide”, uploaded in Dec of 2012 has less than 1,000 hits for the time being, but that’s ok, they’re just getting ready to rock with this one. - TMR Zoo

"Goldmine Magazine Trade Up review Joe Tortelli Everyone can remember a song that immediately lures you into its inescapable groove. The Complaints, a powerful three-piece rock 'n' roll band from Rhode Island, accomplish just that with their latest single "Trade Up." Singer-songwriter Dean Petrella conveys authentic urban street life in his gritty voice; even his "hey hey hey's" shout through the asphalt jungle. It's impossible to exaggerate the kinetic beat laid down by bassist Chris Cruz and drummer Anthony Marotti; rhythmic and sinewy yes, but also subtle and unpredictable. "Trade Up" is topped with Petrella's sensational power chords, his beautifully sustained string-bending lead notes, and some monstrous closing feedback. http://www.goldminemag.com/"
- Goldmine Magazine

"Goldmine Magazine Trade Up review Joe Tortelli Everyone can remember a song that immediately lures you into its inescapable groove. The Complaints, a powerful three-piece rock 'n' roll band from Rhode Island, accomplish just that with their latest single "Trade Up." Singer-songwriter Dean Petrella conveys authentic urban street life in his gritty voice; even his "hey hey hey's" shout through the asphalt jungle. It's impossible to exaggerate the kinetic beat laid down by bassist Chris Cruz and drummer Anthony Marotti; rhythmic and sinewy yes, but also subtle and unpredictable. "Trade Up" is topped with Petrella's sensational power chords, his beautifully sustained string-bending lead notes, and some monstrous closing feedback. http://www.goldminemag.com/"
- Goldmine Magazine