New Heathens Preview

New Heathens
Silvie’s, Chicago
Friday, April 13, 2007

Flatlander’s, Lincolnshire
Saturday, April 14, 2007

The New Heathens might be a New York City band, but their music is a cross-country road trip.

“Goodnight Paterson” is an ode to the hard luck life of Paterson, New Jersey, “just about 20 miles from the New York City skyline.” Teenagers in rural Montana blow shit up while listening to Art Bell’s paranormal radio broadcasts on “July 1, Near Helena, MT,” and “Kansas Romeo” is inspired by the heart-wrenching true story of Matthew Limon, a developmentally disabled youth, who, as an 18-year-old, was sentenced to 17 years in prison under Kansas’ “Romeo And Juliet” law for performing oral sex on a 15-year old boy. Had he done the same thing with a 15-year old girl, the punishment would have been 15 months.

It’s probably so easy for the Heathens — bassist Dan Ambrico, drummer Fabrice Gamon, guitarist Butch Phelps, vocalist Nate Schweber, and guitarist Domenick Tiziano — to identify with the lives of those of us outside their NYC home because so many of them came are places (Illinois, Connecticut, and Massachusetts among others) other than NYC. Plus, how can you call yourself an Americana band without a firm grasp on Americana? Though New Heathens are barely two years old as a band, their debut, Heathens Like Me, proves they’ve found their niche, a mix of gutter rock, Southern twang, and jangly pop.

— Trevor Fisher

Click here for samples of New Heathens.

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly