Tacoma’s straight up, honest rock band the Sordid Sentinels have a way about them, which essentially translates to the fact that if you hear the band once, or see what they can do live - you will be immediately hooked.
Case in point: at a show in fall of 2009 in Seattle’s Blue Moon Tavern, a bartender stepped away from pouring beers and slinging drinks to stand and bask in the face-melting antics of the Sentinels’ lead guitar player, Chris White.
The rest of the Sordid Sentinels include lead singer and bassist Riley Gratzer, drummer Kenton Taylor and keyboardist Josh Price.
The one and a half year-old band has finally wrapped up work on their first self-titled EP, and fans old and new alike will clearly see a band with its own distinct musical vision and sound, cohesive and obvious music power and a genuine love for what they can do really well together.
Otis Spann, Marcy Playground, My Morning Jacket and Muse, just to name a few, have all inspired the members of the bands in various ways.
“Russian Dolls” is a slower-paced track that introduces you to the band with caution, preparing listeners for the musical ruckus that is forthcoming as the speed picks up and the hard-lined bass and guitar sync and the vocals and background vocals come through like a wave of sound.
The track that is synonymous with a Sordid Sentinels live show is “Walking the Plank,” which rocks hard all the way through and doesn’t yield once in its four minutes and seven seconds.
“Crawl through the haze/ leave me blinded/stuck in this hole/I can’t dig my way out/ try as I might/ there’s no hope left/ with my last fight/ I’ll prove I’m not a zero” highlight some of Gratzer’s excellent storytelling abilities. Gratzer’s screams at the end of the chorus affirm that the band has a metal influence as well, and each time they occur they bellow deeper into listeners’ ears. Price’s keyboard takes on an upbeat organ sound that melds well with the theme. Taylor’s drumming provides a solid ground for the rest to stand on and White’s guitar work is unmatched three-fourths of the way through. The song culminates in a building of guitar, bass, drums and keyboard that leave listeners blown away.
The last track “Goodnight” is placed well on the EP and rounds out the previous songs. It is heavy, packed and exploding with intensity. The track builds and breaks down over and over and is left hanging in listener’s heads for days as Gratzer sings “the shadows fit me right/ so goodnight.”
The Sordid Sentinels will host their EP release party on Friday, March 19 at 8 p.m. with Where Sails Meet Rails and Perfect Weather at the New Frontier Lounge, located at 301 E. 25th Street. Copies of the EP will be available for a discounted price of $3, but will be available at subsequent shows for $5. For more information about the band, check out www.facebook.com/sordidsentinels.
