Alpha Rev is the kind of band with a big radio swagger, a grandiose, swelling sound that is tempered by frontman Casey McPherson’s easy, soulful vocals. The sextet’s songs manage to be dramatic and stirring without overdosing on sentimentality, a sound that is even more epic live. Recently returned from a stretch in New York City where they were recording their third LP, which will also mark their debut for Hollywood Records and be released later this year, Alpha Rev will be holding a homecoming celebration this Saturday, May 30th at Antone’s. They have put together a ton of deals and prizes for the show, including some copies of their unreleased live recording from Antone’s in 2007. For the full list of prizes, check out our friends over at Do512. Also on the bill for this Saturday are Deadbeat Darling, Quiet Company, and Dallas quartet the Campaign.
Profile: Alpha Rev
Year Formed:
September 2006
Members/Instruments played:
Alex Dunlap – Bass
Tommy Roalson – Drums
Derek Morris – Keyboards
Brian Batch – Violin
Dave Wiley – Cello
Casey McPherson – Guitar / Keyboards / Lead Vocals
Former Bands/Side Projects:
Endochine
Albums:
Self Titled EP – 2006, SureFire Media/Sea Change Records
The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Learned – 2007, Sea Change Records
New Release (as yet untitled) – 2009, Hollywood Records
Influences:
Beatles, Radiohead, Tom Petty, Jeff Buckley, Pink Floyd, Bach, Beethoven, Gospel, Blues
Strangest comment or comparison ever made about your music:
A paper once wrote “Casey sounds like a whiny kitten with a crooked dick”
Favorite local bands:
Johnny Goudie and the Little Champions, Shane Bartell, The Soldier Thread, Sounds Under Radio
Favorite local venue:
Antone’s
Upcoming shows scheduled:
May 29th – House of Blues, Dallas, TX
May 30th – Antone’s, Austin, TX
June 12th – Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
Shows over the next month that you’re excited to see:
Deadbeat Darling is a good friend of the bands. Joseph King (formerly of Canvas) has been doing his thing in NYC for quite a while now, and is ready to release his first full length. That’s exciting. He’s opening for us on May 30th at Antone’s. The Soldier Thread has been on our radar for a while too. They’re playing at Stubb’s on June 6th.
Some of your favorite albums from the past year:
TV On The Radio was amazing. Other than that, most of the last year has been tied up with our own music so we really haven’t had a ton of time to take in new releases. Alex is good friends with the Language Room folks and said their new record was quite good. We also like Ume quite a bit and have been hearing some buzz about this group called The Morakestra.
Ideal band (past or present) to open for on a national tour:
This is a very hard question to answer…really the ideal band is the one that is available and that we fit in best with at the time when we need to tour. Probably the best answer that hits closest to home would be to go out with someone else from Texas, whoever that might be. Of course there are discussions going on about this back and forth, so we’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
Austin Sound questions:
What can y’all tell us about the new album?
The new record has a very broad spectrum stylistically. It has everything from the sweeping melodies of early Alpha Rev to the soul from the late 70’s.
So, what is the greatest thing you’ve learned you’ve ever learned since the last record?
Well probably the first thing would be not to name my record “The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Learned” – also that people are way more important than art or money.
Song Introduction:
China Sunrise - This song is about the fear of following your heart, and the people, places, and things that hold you back from it. We were all made to shine but, very often, the only way of finding the light is to let it engulf you in the flames of adversity and defeat.
Sound Off:
Thanks for interviewing us. We will rock your underwear off at Antone’s on May 30th or whenever you see us play, so bring two pairs.
Mp3 from The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Learned:
China Sunrise
Websites:
www.alpharev.com
Myspace
alpha rev = coldplay - 10
Alpha Rev is one of the best bands ever today. I like their tandem of different genres of music like rock and ballad, which they use different instruments rather than all rock and electric guitars and drums. They’re worthy to be the best indeed.
Alpha rev? Really? Are you guys smoking shitty music crack all of the sudden?
alpha rev = cultural pollution
i love alpha rev. sure they have a hint of coldplay style… but since coldplay sucks, I THINK ALPHA REV ROCKS! you can’t really compare the two, but if you did… i pick ARev.
$100 says Mr. Anonymous hater is in some crappy local band who plays Trophy’s on Tuesday nights. Whenever a band from Austin steps onto the national stage, an army of bitter, washed-up wannabe musicians jump on the hate train. It’s pathetic.
Sure, Alpha Rev are more mainstream than indie, but they are undeniably talented and Casey writes incredible rock/pop songs that millions of people are going to hear. When Alpha Rev is playing stadiums and amphitheaters, what will you be doing, Mr. Anonymous? Patting yourself on the back for not selling out as you take another order from the drive-thru?
I don’t really know much about Alpha Rev, other than the fact that their music is anything but edgy or offensive or interesting.
But, that said, how is it possible that their interview is even more nondescript and bland than their music? No ideal bands to tour with? No favorite new releases? The only bands you want to see are the ones you booked to play with you? Could your description of your album been any more vague, nebulous, and plain old nondescript? Jeff Buckley is your most radical influence?
How’s it possible? This has to be a calculated effort by the band to respond with an absolutely blank empty slew of answers.
I don’t really like their music but they must be doing something to be getting this many comments
Austin - seems like you must not know very much about the music industry or what happens when you record a major label record. Got any inside information on the band that you want to share? That’s right because you don’t know what you’re talking about. Alpha Rev may be FROM Austin and but they’ve been in NYC and working on their record for almost 8 months to a year - and just got back to playing shows! Of course they’re going to be sketchy with details like favorite bands and releases.
Tom: What? Are you actually trying to say that a band.. living in NYC.. being a band.. working as a band.. couldn’t POSSIBLY have a favorite new release? And they couldn’t POSSIBLY be excited to see a single band? And they couldn’t POSSIBLY want to ever tour with any band ever? If you’re in a band, you love music. And unless you’re some esoteric hobbit that lives under a rock, you probably saw a single band and a single show and were remotely excited to possibly buy their CD.
Even when I’m taking a shit, as someone who really loves music, I often think “Man, it would have been great to see the Rolling Stones in the mid 70s…” or “How awesome was Crazy Horse before Danny Whitten died?” or “God, I wish I had seen Pavement!”
How is it possible that between six guys, not one of them could get creative and say they would love to tour with one of their influences? I mean, who the hell doesn’t want to play with Radiohead? Or go back in time to tour with the Beatles and/or Pink Floyd? Especially if they are your goddamned influences!
Their responses are as interesting as a slice of white bread, even if they just finished a major label record and spent a whopping 8 months to a year (what are they, Korn?! way to strike while the iron is hot!) in a culturally desolate village called New York City. I can’t fathom how, when emailed a bunch of questions, you can’t respond with something interesting unless you’re trying very hard to say nothing and offend no one… or you’re as boring as the aforementioned white bread.
I think it’s awesome that another Austin band is going to get some national exposure. It only brings more attention to the music scene here, which is great for all Austin bands, of any style.
I really don’t know anything about Alpha Rev but after reading these comments and checking out their music, I am definitely headed to the show tomorrow night.
7:13pm, when you have conversations at dinner parties, do you talk about your job?
I think it’s obvious we all wish we were in Alpha Rev.
This band wasn’t doing shit until some random couple in Austin got involved and pushed them to the next level (poor bastards, they didn’t know Casey). Trust me, all it takes in this business is a little money and some leverage. This band is just another example of the jacked up industry.
Casey is a user and a piece of shit human being! He does NOT deserve any good from the art of being a musician. His band mates are talented and wish them well though. He doesn’t know what’s going on in the music world cause he is too self absorbed! Casey, you should one day go through your life and call all those people you fucked over and say your sorry and MEAN IT!
This band is just another reason to live in Austin. Austin is the live music capital of the world, which means there is a new band playing each weekend. If you love music, you’ll love Austin. Whether you are just a fan listening or trying to get a band of your own together, this is a great place to be!
AHS-
That was the worst attempt at spam marketing I’ve witnessed in a long time.
Austin Home Search = most awesome comment ever!
There’s a few keepers in this thread. Definitely got me laughing pretty good.
No Blue, what horrible things to say about someone.. none of which are true. i think you should make amends with yourself before expecting others to do so. and not waste time and energy only to search out ways of being critical of others.
true:
No blue is correct. Everything he/she said about Casey is true, I have witnessed it myself. That said I hope the other members in his band do well and go on to succeed without Casey. This may seem harsh or critical to you but in all honesty it was meant to be…
Alpha rev is an awful awful band. Their music is terribly unimaginative and their sound is completely unoriginal and vapid.
BTW: Casey used to play at Trophy’s.
WOW, IT SEEMS THE AUSTIN SOUND REVIEW WEBSITE HAS BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR CASEY’S EX-GIRLFRIENDS TO LASH OUT AND FIND THEIR “ANONYMOUS” NEVER ENDING CLOSURE.. SWALLOW THAT JAGGED LITTLE BREAK UP PILL TARA AND MOVE ON, IT SEEMS HE DID, JESUS.
I’m not Casey ex-girlfriend. I wouldn’t ever date someone who apparently is as boring as a slice of American cheese.
AUSTIN, I WASN’T REFERRING TO YOU.
IS YOUR CAPSLOCK KEY BROKEN?!
nitwit.
OUCH. YA GOT ME.
FOR ALPHA REV/CASEY MCPHEARSON BEING AS INTERESTING AS AMERICAN CHEESE YOU SURE ARE “INTERESTED” IN BLOGS REGARDING THEM…..
INTERESTING.
Why did you put quotation marks around the word interested? Do you not know what quotation marks mean and how to use them?
I am genuinely interested in Alpha Rev, when it comes to this blog in particular, because a whole metric assload of mouthbreathers like yourself came out of the wood work to defend Austin’s least interesting band. It’s not like people have, in any way possible, rationally and logically defended Alpha Rev’s complete and utterly vanilla drivel.
Is there such a need for all of this negativity? What is the purpose of going out of your way to be hateful and unproductive. Whether you like their music or not is not the point. The point is that this is a group of hardworking people trying to succeed at doing what they care about. If you do not like the music, then do not attend their shows or buy their music, don’t bash them on some random Austin music blog just because their music is not your style. You all just sound childish.
Also, if you have something against one of the members personally, this is definitely not the platform.
Well, hey, the Nazis were also hardworking and trying to succeed at doing what they cared about!
There we go folks: I just compared Alpha Rev to the Nazis.
there are replies on this crappy little article for over 6 months?
Things are boring this time of year. Plus, Alpha Rev is the holiday gift that keeps on givin’!
So Austin, I guess we can be expecting you at Alpha Rev’s concert this Friday at Antone’s then?? Great, see you there.
Sadly no, but it’s for a great cause (Mental Health America). I’ll be at the Comanche Abortion reunion show at Beerland.
Mostly because I like saying Comanche Abortion.
How’s about TBL backing up this show!
That is F’n badass.
You guys are silly b/c of Xmas cheer and glee. I like all you gay glee, keep gleeing gayfully!
But, take that gay booty butt down to Antone’s to see a AWESOME SHOW, and support some shit.
Besides, you negativo homo’s are lame lifeless blog commenters.
I would be there, but I have to be santa and get toys for tots, but I WOULD IF I COULD.
Boom.
Heard from the grapevine Alpha Rev’s new CD kicks some serious ass. Just thought I’d continue the love-fest.