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Commentary and photos by Jeff Rey
Copyright 2003 NEON, blue door productions
the everyothers
foto flash feature
The Everyothers may very well be on the cusp of wide recognition. They’ve been compared to the Strokes, the Vines and several other of the new “garage” bands. But all they really are is a solid and traditional rock ‘n roll band with a distinctively new, yet very familiar sound. Your basic two guitars, bass and drums. Simple, straight ahead songs - nothing revolutionary about their music. But the real challenge of basic rock has always been to take the simple elements that make it rock ‘n roll yet still keep it fresh and interesting. The Rolling Stones did it for several decades, the Black Crowes, and many more, launched solid careers on it, too. And the Everyothers do it in high style. But they’re hardly a “classic rock” band. They sound as modern as the moment and as new as New York.
They’ve played all over the city (and elsewhere), but I caught them in the intimate setting of the Luna Lounge and then again at CBGB where they really let loose with the full intensity of a rousing set sparked off by the energetic “Go Down Soon”. Every good band needs a great rhythm section and the Everyothers have one with Ben Toro providing a fat Fender bottom alongside onetime N.Y. Loose stickman John Melville’s inspired beats. Joel B. Cannon, vintage Gibson slung way down, pulls out thick, screaming notes to compliment Owen McCarthy’s carefully sustained rhythm guitar.

And McCarthy is the center of attention. He wears his good looks well, as if he isn’t even aware of the very stylish Mod suit he’s wearing, or the way his tussled, pale locks keep falling seductively over his piercing eyes as he sings songs of anguish and elation. “Break That Bottle,” coming midway through the set, was a highlight with its soulful lyric. Girls nearby actually swooned as McCarthy delivered it home. They barely had time to recover before the Everyothers lauched into “English Cigarettes,” apparently another female favorite.

The Everyothers are in the process of recording a follow-up to an earlier EP - all three songs off of that one (especially “Ticket Home”) were very strong live.
www.everyothers.com/

The everyothers do rock 'n roll in high style. They sound as modern as the moment and as new as New York.
Photos: Jeff Rey