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2004 : In the Company of Strangers
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Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Death Cab for Cutie, the Absentee, Elvis Costello, Smashing Pumpkins, the Hanks, Jimmy Eat World, Simon & Garfunkel, Ryan Adams, Depeche Mode, Radiohead
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Pedro the Lion, Bob Dylan, Feist, Gram Parsons, Neutral Milk Hotel, the Parson Red Heads, Cursive, Wilco, Eilliott Smith. Sufjan Stevens
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| : DARCI CASH |
Ben Welch (vo,ba)
Mack Slevin (gt,vo)
Ashley Powell (key, vo)
Jeff Baird (Dr)
OFFICIAL BAND WEBSITE
www.darcicash.com |
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| Ben Welch (lead vocals, bass) and Mack Slevin (guitar, backing vocal) learned to play music together starting at age 12. After playing together in a number of different bands throughout high school, they decided to strike out on their own in 2000 and record the Where Friends Meet EP, playing all instruments themselves. Shortly after, they began passing the CD around, looking for other musicians to help them bring the new songs to life in concert.
This lead them to reunite with an old friend of theirs from high school, Ashley Powell. The invitation was extended for her to join them, singing harmony at some acoustic shows Ben and Mack had booked. Before long she was drafted as a permanent member, playing keyboard as well.
Through friends they were introduced to Jeff Baird, a drummer who had just moved to Los Angeles from Oregon. As luck would have it, his previous band had just broken up and he expressed interest in working with them. After a few test rehearsals, the band had a new drummer.
Initially, Darci Cash was rounded out by second guitarist Josh Grondin, who was also frontman for fellow L.A. band the Hanks. The arrangement happened to work out well, seeing as Ben had been playing guitar for the Hanks at live shows for a while as his own band was still being formed. However, after a couple years it became obvious that each group was becoming too busy in their own right to be sharing band members. Reluctantly, Grondin and Darci Cash parted ways, but still remain friends, the two bands occasionally touring together.
In 2004 Darci Cash released their debut album, In the Company of Strangers. In its 12 songs it faithfully represent the live set they had spent years honing and strengthens it with tasteful production work from Jason LaRocca of SideOneDummy punk band the Briggs.
Now In the Company of Strangers finally sees a Japanese release via Thistime Records with two exclusive Japan-only tracks.
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| THE STRANGER(Seattle, WA) |
On record, Darci Cash make pretty, melodic pop laced with a tinge of
bittersweet attitude and endearing male/female harmonies. Reminiscent
of acts such as Death Cab for Cutie and the Jealous Sound, the
Californian quartet dynamically switch back and forth between beautiful
calamity and subtler emotional explosions. On stage, though, they really
shine, with tight, sturdy vocals and energetic outbursts and smiles that
make the performance the cutest thing you've ever seen or heard.
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| SKRATCH MAGAZINE (Los Angeles, CA) |
I didn't have to wait long before Darci Cash took the stage. I wasn't
sure what was about to stuff my ears, but the band broke into an
amazing set. Their music was eclectically poppy and fun. At the first
song I was nodding my head, by the fourth I was swaying around, and
during the last couple songs I was bopping around, grinning and
laughing. For once I didn't mind looking at the sweaty musicians,
because it felt as if they were connecting with every damn person in
the room - a rarity.
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| LOST AT SEA MAGAZINE
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Music is a little like humor, in a way - there's a fine line between
"stop me if you've heard this one before" and "good every time you hear
it." Darci Cash may sound like vintage Jimmy Eat World, but their music
still strikes a chord.
Oceanic rising and crashing dynamics, swells of emotion and a relatable
voice, you'll recognize it all immediately, and if you clung to
Clarity, you'll likely show Darci Cash your favor as well.
The group does manage to vary its influences as it goes, too: "Goodbye"
is Pavementesque and sprightly in places, "June" sounds like a newly
distorted Low track for a very brief moment and "Honey" is a little
reminiscent of a Built to Spill pop song.
Through and through, the songs avoid an overly emo trap, dodging the
usual woeful bullet to instead be thoroughly affirming, these numbers
manage to make you feel pretty good. The songs stand on their own, as
does the band, even with its evident ancestry, and you're left with a
feeling of pleasantness and sheer likeability. And really, that's never
a bad first impression to make.
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| REDEFINE MAGAZINE
(Seattle, WA) |
What is "coffee shop rock?" Los Angeles-based Darci Cash seem to have
taken a claim to that title with their indie rock album, In the Company
of Strangers. In a world where coffee shop and rock music usually
equates to Starbucks and their growing media of mostly "smooth jazz"
and random tunes that are suppose to make you want to drink coffee and
relax, there are bands like Darci Cash that actually really do want to
make you want to sit back and enjoy a mocha. Darci Cash is led by
bassist and frontman, Benjamin Welch, and his team of Mack Selvin, Jeff
Baird, and Ashley Powell, who pull together an album of melodramatic
tunes with somewhat happy and uplifting melodies. The middle of the
album shows off the best of the bunch, with songs like "The Faithful
Cynic" and "Sixties Pop." The former features a wonderful pop chorus
like Pinback, and indie-pop verses that remind you of Death Cab for
Cutie. In "Sixties Pop", the band pulls off some spacey-jazz
instrumentals that work well. While they don't reach the highs and
excitement of say - Interpol, the jazzier elements, where the low bass
lines intertwine with the hypnotic guitars, are definitely a strong
suit. Darci Cash seem to know what they want to do and aren't afraid of
modifying and tweaking previous formulas to suit their own tastes. You
can definitely feel that cafe-jazz atmosphere in each and every song.
In some cases that's a borer, but here, it's a really positive touch.
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