02
May
2006
Not many people have heard of Mia Zapata, a punk singer who was murdered in 1993. At the time of her death, Zapata's group, The Gits, had released just one recording, Frenching the Bully. The CD is in many ways unremarkable, except for one thing: Zapata is a force of nature, and her powerful, un-self-conscious voice makes it impossible to keep your ears off her.
Until I heard The Siyg's Jared Wuerzburger, Zapata was unique in my experience. But Wuerzburger, working in more of a roots-rock vein with his Quad Cities four-piece, has many of the same qualities. His voice is earnest and naked, and it sounds as if it's being poured directly from his heart without passing through his brain, lungs, or mouth. It's precise without losing spontaneity, and emotive without being histrionic.
That kind of singing - magnetic, natural, rawly expressive - cannot be learned; it can only be harnessed. Wuerzburger does that beautifully, and the band's debut CD, Here & Now, Now or Never is a grand showcase for it.
The accomplishment is all the more impressive when you know that Wuerzburger and his band - guitarist Logan McDaniel, bassist Chris Harkins, and drummer Dave Soliz - are all in high school or college.
The record does sound like a debut, in the sense that the musical forms are rote and the lyrics lack the experience and specificity that come with time and practice, respectively. Too many songs start with the same strumming jangle. The mix puts too much emphasis on the drums and percussion, and the problem is exacerbated by their density. And most bizarrely, Wuerzburger's voice isn't given the prominence it so obviously deserves.
Yet there's an intermittent maturity to Here & Now, Now or Never that's surprising, beyond Wuerzburger's voice. McDaniel's guitar leads are dynamic and clever under verses and choruses where most bands are content to kill time. The Siyg puts a premium on vocal and instrumental melody and texture, such as on "Blind," with McDaniel and Wuerzburger sounding as if they're fighting for the soul of the song. And there's an exhilarating moment when Harkins' bass leaps up in the mix, defying all expectations. The CD runs the gamut from warm, Hootie-like pop to more muscular rock, and is adept at both.
But it's nearly impossible to escape Wuerzburger's voice, from the chorus lament of "Go" to the way he gives heartfelt immediacy and weight to ordinary lyrics ("Being lost in the desert / Is anything but fun / No one to give you guidance / There's nowhere to run").
What's best about Here & Now, Now or Never is what it suggests about the future. Even as the band is honing its skills, Wuerzburger makes The Siyg undeniably compelling. And as the singer and his mates become better songwriters and master the recording process, they have the potential to become genuinely special.
The Siyg will perform on Friday, May 5, at Quad City Arts in downtown Rock Island. The show starts at 7 p.m.
For more information on the band, visit (http://www.myspace.com/thesiyg).
Until I heard The Siyg's Jared Wuerzburger, Zapata was unique in my experience. But Wuerzburger, working in more of a roots-rock vein with his Quad Cities four-piece, has many of the same qualities. His voice is earnest and naked, and it sounds as if it's being poured directly from his heart without passing through his brain, lungs, or mouth. It's precise without losing spontaneity, and emotive without being histrionic.
That kind of singing - magnetic, natural, rawly expressive - cannot be learned; it can only be harnessed. Wuerzburger does that beautifully, and the band's debut CD, Here & Now, Now or Never is a grand showcase for it.
The accomplishment is all the more impressive when you know that Wuerzburger and his band - guitarist Logan McDaniel, bassist Chris Harkins, and drummer Dave Soliz - are all in high school or college.
The record does sound like a debut, in the sense that the musical forms are rote and the lyrics lack the experience and specificity that come with time and practice, respectively. Too many songs start with the same strumming jangle. The mix puts too much emphasis on the drums and percussion, and the problem is exacerbated by their density. And most bizarrely, Wuerzburger's voice isn't given the prominence it so obviously deserves.
Yet there's an intermittent maturity to Here & Now, Now or Never that's surprising, beyond Wuerzburger's voice. McDaniel's guitar leads are dynamic and clever under verses and choruses where most bands are content to kill time. The Siyg puts a premium on vocal and instrumental melody and texture, such as on "Blind," with McDaniel and Wuerzburger sounding as if they're fighting for the soul of the song. And there's an exhilarating moment when Harkins' bass leaps up in the mix, defying all expectations. The CD runs the gamut from warm, Hootie-like pop to more muscular rock, and is adept at both.
But it's nearly impossible to escape Wuerzburger's voice, from the chorus lament of "Go" to the way he gives heartfelt immediacy and weight to ordinary lyrics ("Being lost in the desert / Is anything but fun / No one to give you guidance / There's nowhere to run").
What's best about Here & Now, Now or Never is what it suggests about the future. Even as the band is honing its skills, Wuerzburger makes The Siyg undeniably compelling. And as the singer and his mates become better songwriters and master the recording process, they have the potential to become genuinely special.
The Siyg will perform on Friday, May 5, at Quad City Arts in downtown Rock Island. The show starts at 7 p.m.
For more information on the band, visit (http://www.myspace.com/thesiyg).
