Variously described by critics and fans as Americana, alt-country, roots-rock, and rockabilly in an attempt to define their original blend of guitar-driven American music, members of The Molenes are themselves more likely to tell you it's simply "rock'n'roll with twang."

Either way, this blend of swaggering riffs, steam-train rhythms, trenchant tunes, and evocative lyrics makes a music that moves you, and that has gotten the band noticed in the process. Two Spotlight Award nominations, designation as a "River Rising Star" by Boston's largest independent commercial radio station, a half-hour live feature on NHPR's acclaimed "Front Porch" radio series, and radio play on more than 150 stations around the country and the world all attest to infectiousness of this "twang", and the ability of this music to reach beyond the band's home in the Northeast's Seacoast region. Formed in 2005 by Dave Hunter (lead vocals, guitars), The Molenes consist of Andrew Russell (bass, vocals), Bruce Derr (pedal-steel guitar), and Zach Field (drums). Their acclaimed full-length releases to date include 2006's This Car is Big and 2008's Songs of Sin and Redemption . The band is currently recording a third album, scheduled for release in the fall of 2010.



 


  • Dowloadable one sheet and high-res images No1 and No2 here (for photos, please credit Gregory Rec).
  • Publicity for USA: Powderfinger Promotions, 1-800-356-1155
  • Publicity for Europe: Peter Holmstedt, Hemifran.
  • Or contact: themolenes(at symbol)themolenes.com
  • PRAISE FOR SONGS OF SIN AND REDEMPTION
  • "THE MOLENES' debut album 'This Car Is Big' was a gutsy, roots-rock affair. It was – and remains - a fine, Uncle Tupelo-style blowout, ideal for anyone who relates to rousing anthems celebrating hard times for honest men. It seems that Dave Hunter's men have been consolidating on the 'Roots' part of their roots-rock approach across the course of the intervening twelve months. The self-explanatory 'Songs of Sin & Redemption' is an excellent follow-up, but it draws water from a much deeper well of traditional folk and country than its' predecessor... The Molenes' desire to get their amped-up kicks seems a little more muted as a result, though there's no denying the convincing cut'n'thrust of the album's trio of crunching rockers. 'There's A Suffering' mainlines on Replacements-style energy; the equally no-nonsense 'Charlotte Lights' is a rousing road song and the punchy 'Fall For This Again' demonstrates The Molenes are rapidly patenting their own brand of gritty'n'spangly, Byrds-y rockers... 'Songs of Sin & Redemption' is a tremendous sophomore effort. The Molenes are rightly becoming renowned as one of New England's best Americana-related outfits and their authentic grasp of roots-rock stylings is fast becoming a joy for the ear to behold." –Tim Peacock, Whisperin & Hollerin (UK)
  • "Country music has that bad rap for being nothing but songs for sad sacks with dead dogs, lost women, and drinking problems, but country music got ruined by over-production and under-performance, not the content of the lyrics. In fact, there’s nothing at all wrong with reveling in whiskey, beer, bitter women, and sweet heartache, as long as the guitars are hot, the backbeat’s driving, and no one expects me to feel an ounce of sympathy. Dave Hunter and his Molenes know this well, and their second album, Songs of Sin and Redemption, shows they’re more than just a guitar band... This 12-tune collection represents a tremendous upgrade over The Molenes debut and establishes them as one of New England's premier alt-country/Americana bands. If you get a chance to see them, take advantage of it." -Sam Pfeifle, Portland Phoenix (full review).

     

  • "With the thematically dark subject matter, Hunter's smooth vocals and some graceful guitar work, Songs of Sin and Redemption seems to be presenting The Molenes as one of the Seacoast's more compelling and most promising Americana acts." -Jamie Perkins, Portsmouth Herald Spotlight magazine.

  • "The album begins with an instrumental bluegrass jam titled 'Redemption.' The introductory track weaves strains of banjo and mandolin into a driving, rockabilly drumbeat, knitting together a timeless sound that follows the roots of American music. As the tune begins to fade, amplified feedback drowns out the jam, making way for the country-rock guitar riff of 'There’s a Sufferin’'. It’s a striking transition, and one that might surprise fans of The Molenes’ first album, This Car Is Big. Emerging more than 18 months after the debut disc, Songs of Sin and Redemption wraps together all the rootsy elements that define The Molenes’ style, from blues to bluegrass, rock to rockabilly." -Matt Kanner, The Wire.
  • PRAISE FOR THIS CAR IS BIG
  • "This is a solid dose of top down, windows open, dirt road kind of Americana. The best thing about this disc is that you can hum along to most of the songs after just one listen, but each subsequent spin reveals more than was initially apparent. There's an appealing twang to the guitars of Dave Hunter and Tom Ferry, and Dave's voice has an appropriate worn-in feel... This is unquestionably a winner." -Kevin Finn, The Noise (Boston)
  • "Every once in a while a great record will come along with so little fanfare, you'd almost think the artist was intentionally masking its release to keep the beauty all to themselves... This Car is a melding of rockabilly, country, gospel, and roots. More descriptively, it's pure grease monkey rock armed with turquoise tail fins and Vaseline hair-dos. It bears the innocence of Whiskeytown's Faithless Street, the wide-swing tremolo of X's Los Angeles, and the simplicity of Springsteen's Nebraska, complete with haunting harmonicas and earthquake whammy bar groans."
    –Martin England, Herald Spotlight magazine
  • "Among the Molenes perfected songs on This Car Is Big are at least a few bona fide oughta-be-hits (like Heart Beat On, Brand New Yesterday, Two Doors Down and Prosperity Town) ...chock full of mean guitars and painfully strained vocals. It's a great Alt-Country album! It's way up there with the best work of the likes of Whiskeytown, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, the Replacements, Blue Mountain, Nadine, Slobberbone, Drive By Truckers, etc."
    – Freddy Celis, www.rootstime.be
  • "This Car Is Big is een verdienstelijke poging met een extra vermelding voor het lekker aanwenden van de smoelschuiver op "Twisted" en "Flood", de twangy gitaartjes op "Heart Beat On", "Brand New Yesterday", "Two Doors Down" en "Prosperity Town" dat wel eens kon uitgroeien tot een flinke Radio - 1 hit. Met "Gone", " Barely Breathing" en "Wheels on the Ground" verzeilen the Molenes misschien nog wel het dichtst in de richting die hen op het lijf geschreven lijkt en die hen boven het gemiddelde doet uitstijgen van de zovele bands die in proberen in de voetsporen te geraken van boven vermeld lijstje. Fraai debuut ... nu nog bevestigen!" – SWA, Roots Time, Belgium
  • "The Seacoast Scene can lay claim to a hotbed of roots rock, so when two of its leading lights agree on the next big band, you might want to pay attention... Both recently raved about The Molenes, an alt-country outfit who managed to stay pretty far under the radar until releasing their debut full-lenth, This Car Is Big. I can see where they're coming from." –Sam Pfeifle, Portland Phoenix
  • "This Car Is Big, il loro nuovo album è la più classica delle raccolte di spaccati della provincia americana e per accorgercene basta leggere i titoli, Prosperità Town, Stinking Town, Brand New Yesterday e Wheel On The Ground. Si parla di strade polverose, sogni infranti, automobili, ma ciò che importa è che brani come Thousand Candle Glow e Twisted divertano tanto quanto quelli prodotti dai Say Zu Zu e che le loro ballate (Barely Breathing, Flood) colgano sempre e comunque nel segno. Loro non sembrano farsi troppi scrupoli nello sfruttare sentieri già battuti ma se questo in futuro diventerà un abitudine difficilmente usciranno allo scoperto su palcoscenici più importanti." Salvatore Esposito, Il Popolo del Blues, Italy



 

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