The Congress / The Southern Belles

About The Congress

With the release of their sophomore album, The Game (due September 9, 2016 on American Paradox), The Congress progresses further along a career path that’s taken them from Denver, CO, where they first formed, back to their hometown of Richmond, VA. They’ve followed a circuitous route, one that’s found them touring with high profile bands like Lake Street Dive, the Tedeschi-Trucks Band, and Hard Working Americans, while still remaining focused on their singular sound, a dynamic mix of riveting rock ‘n’ roll, old school soul, classic country, and searing psychedelia.

 Ultimately, The Congress is a band that shows reverence for their roots through both cohesion and creativity. “It’s hard to pigeonhole us one way or the other,” says guitarist/vocalist Scott Lane. “We do what comes naturally, with a lot of focus on song and arrangement, and very little on genre. We’re not great at putting ourselves in one box.”

That’s borne out on The Game, even on an initial listen. From the mournful sway of “Home Again” and “Farewell,” to the jazzy, soulful sound evident in “When I Got the Time,” it’s clear The Congress is as versatile as it is unpredictable. The slow, steady glide of “Poison and Antidote” and “This Ain’t Livin’” finds a perfect mesh with spry rockers like “Ain’t It Easy,” “September” and the title track, ensuring a subtle change in tone and tempo throughout.

“I first started playing bass on our last EP,” bassist/vocalist Jonathan Meadows points out. “This time around, I felt more comfortable than ever. I had more time under my belt, and I think that allowed me to serve the songs better.”

Of course, life is often a matter of happenstance. True, The Congress have garnered rave reviews from newspapers in the know throughout the nation. Is that happenstance? Hardly, but the fact that the band’s two mainstays — Lane and Meadows — first met at the age of 19 and years later, by chance, ended up living on the same block in the very same neighborhood says something about the power of chance.

“Jonathan had a band called The Grove at the time,” Lane recalls. “They had a residency at a local venue called the Cary Street Cafe. As a musician, he was on an entirely different level. When The Grove broke up, we started hosting a full band open mic at the bar where he worked, Emilio’s. All kinds of local musicians were showing up — folks from the jazz scene, punk musicians, singer-songwriters. Eventually Jonathan and I started writing together and booking dates in the studio.” It was a fortuitous situation. To date, the band has released two EPs (one self-titled, the other dubbed The Loft Tapes) and a full-length debut (aptly titled Whatever You Want).

 After being convinced that Colorado would be an ideal base for a budding musician, Lane relocated to Denver in 2008. Meadows moved out a year later. The two had plotted the beginnings of the band in Richmond, but once in Denver, their plans took a serious turn. Starting in 2010, The Congress spent the next two years touring, building a reliable reputation as a band with the kind of live chops and melodic prowess that were worthy of recognition. Inevitably they chose to return home to Richmond, just in time to put the finishing touches on their sophomore set, which was recorded primarily at Denver’s Macy Sound Studio with occasional sessions at Montrose Studios in Richmond that they managed to fit in in between concert dates back in Virginia.

“I wrote a lot of songs on the record in short breaks from the road during an especially intense time,” Lane remembers. “We were so busy touring, and I was dealing with some big personal changes. Most songs were written over the course of a year as a sort of catharsis. Some of them made their way to our set lists well before we ever recorded them.”

Meadows himself contributed two of the tracks. “‘This Ain’t Livin‘ came really quickly,” he remembers. “We ran through it in 20 minutes and the first take turned out to be the best. It felt very spontaneous. ‘The Poison and the Antidote’ was a song I wrote years ago with the Grove, but the band never really went for it. I enjoyed playing around with it. I envisioned this as kind of a Pink Floyd type of thing.”

To keep that feeling fresh, the band stripped down their sound, relying only on the basics -- guitar, bass, piano and drums -- the latter courtesy of band members Chris Speasmaker and Mark Levy, respectively. (The newest member of the fold, drummer Raphael Katchinoff replaced Levy earlier this year.)

Although the band produced the album themselves (“Scott has really learned his way around the studio,” Meadows mentions. “He’s really nailed it.”), they opted to turn the mixing chores over to engineer Adrian Olsen. “This was the first time we didn’t do it ourselves,” Meadows continues. “I think that was a more mature decision on our part. It was really exciting to hear the results coming from the hands of somebody else.”

In the end, The Game became an accurate representation of the band’s versatility. “We’re obsessive about music,” Lane insists. “We love old R&B. We’re fans of classic country. It’s all rock and roll. We’ve made some tough decisions over the years, but that’s life. You just have to do the best you can.”

About The Southern Belles

The Southern Belles are Adrian Ciucci (guitar/vocals), Tommy Booker (keys/vocals), Aaron Zarrow (drums/vocals) and Andrew Carper (bass/vocals). Playing a high-octane mix of funky southern psychedelic Rock & Roll, the Belles perform hundreds of shows and festivals each year. Their ability to instinctively communicate with one another was apparent right from the start, but as they've continued to play together this cultured ability has grown exponentially. The Southern Belles road-tested sound has earned them a devout following, with fans traveling far and wide to catch the show. With their new album "Close To Sunrise," released in July of 2015, the Southern Belles are picking up steam and gaining national notoriety for their original compositions and song craft. Their songs are both fun and moving, with lyrical stories evoking familiar emotions and complex musical journeys. Wherever the Southern Belles are, they are sure to bring the party with them.

The Southern Belles were formed in November of 2011 in Richmond, VA by Adrian Ciucci and Zach Hudgins. Early on Adrian and Zach added Raphael Katchnioff and Tommy Booker to their already eclectic sound. The Belles started playing monthly residencies in both their hometown of Richmond at Cary St. Cafe and The Camel, and in nearby Charlottesville, at Rapture. Right away it was clear that this band was different, and word began to spread. In 2012, they released their first album, "Sharp As A Knife," and took their show on the road. After several tours up and down the East Coast, the band was gaining national attention, getting picked up for festival both small and large. In early 2014, Zach stepped out as bass player for the Southern Belles, making way for the addition of Andrew Carper. Andrew breathed fresh life into an already dynamic sound, bringing his youthful energy to the group. 

In early winter of 2015, the Southern Belles recorded their second album, "Close To Sunrise," at Sound of Music, the same studio they recorded "Sharp As A Knife," and again worked with Bryan Walthall as the producer of the record. Both albums have a similar feel, but it's clear on "Close To Sunrise" that the band is taking strides in their musical composition as well as lyrical content. With critical acclaim for the new record, the band was featured at large festivals in the summer of 2015, including both Lockn' and Floyd Fest. 

The story of the Southern Belles continues to evolve. In January of 2016, the band underwent another lineup change, parting ways with Raphael Katchinoff and bringing on Aaron Zarrow on the drums. Aaron, formerly of Philadelphia based jazz-funk outfit The Royal Noise, adds a new degree of precision to the band. The Southern Belles continue to tour nation-wide and have big goals for 2016 and years to come. It's been an incredible adventure so far, and it will be exciting to see what the future holds for The Southern Belles. 

Cosmic highways and scenic byways. Peace be the journey.