The Sordid Sentinels aim to bring honest rock to Tacoma

Photo by Dawn Quinn

ROCKIN’ THE PLANK. Clockwise from left, Kenton Taylor, Chris White, Riley Gratzer, Josh Price are Tacoma-bred rockers the Sordid Sentinels, who bring a mix of genres to the table with their energetic live shows. Fans of rock, punk and metal can all appreciate their unique sounds at two of their upcoming shows at the New Frontier Lounge on May 22 and Seafarers on May 30.

Tacoma music fans know that there is not exactly a lack of rock bands playing and forming in the area today. Despite this fact, there are some up-and-coming acts that are trying to separate themselves from the pack, and earn their fans based on their unique genre-bending sounds, dedicated instrumentation and nostalgia for the time when rock ‘n roll was composed around lyrics and not just noise. The Sordid Sentinels are definitely one of these groups.

The Sordid Sentinels officially became a group in September 2008, when they played a few songs at a mutual friend’s party. They did not have their drummer Kenton Taylor yet, but they found him during the fortuitous event. Back then they were known as the Plague Doctors, but decided to change the name a few months later to their new moniker, which was inspired by a Pavement album title.

Though all of the members of the band – Riley Gratzer on bass, Chris White on lead guitar, Taylor on drums and Josh Price on keys – have all played instruments for a good portion of their lives, not all of them assumed that one day they would be playing in a band and getting gigs at local bars and venues.

“All of the guys I played with in high school weren’t determined to make things happen,” Taylor said.

“It wasn’t until earlier this year when Riley called and said we should be in a band together that I thought about it,” White remarked.

“I’d jammed with people, and I always wanted to be in a band but I couldn’t find enough people who played instruments. I originally played guitar, but then I started to play bass,” Gratzer noted.

Price seemed to know early on. “I’ve always pretty much known I wanted to be in a band. Once Riley asked I was interested but not serious. Then I realized what an awesome opportunity this would be,” he affirmed.

While the band describes their genre of choice as “alt-rock” for lack of a better term, there are many facets of their music that distinguish them from others out there today. Gratzer’s howling lyrics are often screamed straight into the mic, hinting at an influence of harder rock, metal and hardcore bands. Yet on certain tracks the vocals slow down to a pace where they are completely audible and blend in harmoniously with the rest of the band’s work. His bass is strong and supplies a perfect support to White’s guitar. The exceptionally skilled, solo-heavy guitar work courtesy of White sheds light on a massive Led Zepplin fan who has done the band a service by following in their footsteps. Price’s keyboard work supplies a dreamy, electronic sound to the raging rock of the group and Taylor’s adept and agile drumming sets a solid framework for the Sentinels’ relentless sound.

All the members are influenced by rock bands from the past, but they all also follow many groups today, and cite a few different influences which all shed light on each musician’s particular tastes. Price, the jazz and blues fan of the group, credits Cecil Taylor and Otis Spann; Taylor affirms the Doors and Marcy Playground; White cites My Morning Jacket and the Mars Volta; and Gratzer’s picks are Muse and Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA) – two bands that seem to heavily influence a few of the group’s original songs. “In My Head” by QOTSA is also a frequent cover, (of which there are not many) at their shows.

When asked what their collective dream band to open for is, the group struggled to come to a complete consensus. Eventually, they concluded that opening for a double-headlining bill of Radiohead and Fountains of Wayne would be their rock dream come true.

The band has played five shows in Tacoma thus far, with venues including parties, the historic Bob’s Java Jive, and Seafarers. They have also played a few Seattle shows as well to very receptive audiences.

The group has yet to put out their first album, though diehard fans have been eagerly awaiting it. The band plans on putting out an EP by the end of this summer, aiming for a fall 2009 full album release. During the next few weeks they will be recording drum tracks for the EP at Price’s home in Puyallup.

The Sordid Sentinels will be bringing the rock to the New Frontier Lounge this Friday, May 22 at 9 p.m. and to Seafarers again on May 30 at 8 p.m. with Seattle-based group Olympus. The New Frontier Lounge is located at 301 E. 25th Street and Seafarers is located at 3878 Center St. For more information about the band, their upcoming shows or to hear their songs, check out http://www.myspace.com/sordidsentinels.

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