THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407140175
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: John Harper
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
EVERYTHING is a band on the rise.
The group's first full-length studio album, ``Labrador,'' will be released July 19 at a special preview party at The Bayou in Washington, D.C. All 12 tracks are originals. The next night, Everything brings its eclectic mix of soul, rock, and Latin American rhythms to the Outer Banks, performing at the Atlantis Nightclub in Nags Head on July 20.
The band started on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. Richard Bradley, Nate Brown, Craig Honeycutt, Mark Reinhardt, Dave Slankard and Steve Van Dam got together on an informal basis from l989 to 1992. In 1992 all the band members graduated and, says Craig, ``all of a sudden our hobby was our job.''
The band's home is in Woodville, Va. That's a little north of Sperryville. Still lost? Woodville is a town of a hundred, about 90 minutes from D.C. in the mountains of northwest Virginia. The closest ``big'' city is Front Royal. Woodville is so small that the post office is in a woman's house.
``It's perfect for us,'' says Honeycutt. ``We find it very relaxing, and we don't disturb anybody.''
Honeycutt and the rest of the band spent the last two years playing, writing and recording. Everything opened for Toad The Wet Sprocket, The Romantics and other top names in addition to playing 220 solo gigs over the past year.
The album, ``Labrador,'' was recorded over a two-week period in May. Producer John Lagia brought the studio to the farm. Using a 24-track portable tape deck, the band recorded about 30 songs, pared to 12 for the album. The songs vary in style, ranging from rolling funk to cool grooves to hard-edged rock.
Kari Williams, the band's publicist, sent me an advance copy of ``Labrador.'' The tape, with three songs, gives two views of the band:
``Smile'' is the first song on the tape. It has a jazzy, relaxed, Steely Dan/Santana feel to it. The other two songs, ``Spent a Long Time'' and ``Rantings of a Lunatic'' are high-energy rock 'n' roll.
All three songs highlight the excellent three-man horn section of Bradley, Reinhardt and Van Dam. All the guys play several instruments. Each member of the band also writes and composes.
``I write every day,'' says Honeycutt. ``It might only be a bite, but something comes out.''
Honeycutt calls the band's music a ``mishmash'' reflecting the band's varied tastes. On the tour bus, the cd selection ranges from classical to ``Alice In Chains.''
Honeycutt, who grew up in Annapolis, Md., listened to his town's WHFS, the progressive/alternative radio station. The station is one of the few in the country that allows announcers to pick their own music. Honeycutt says the free-form style allowed him to stay on the cutting edge.
The band hopes that this album, released on its own label called Full Tube, will be noticed by a large record company. Honeycutt says the band's manager and publicist are already working on some radio airplay.
If the album is as good as the three songs on the advance cassette, the gig at The Atlantis may be the last chance to see the band for a while. These guys from down on the farm are the real thing. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Everything's first full-length studio album, ``Labrador,'' will be
released Tuesday at a special preview party at The Bayou in
Washington, D.C.
WHERE & WHEN
Who: Everything
When: July 20
Where: Atlantis Nightclub, milepost 12, Beach Road
For more information: Call 480-3757
by CNB