It’s rare that we get to promote seasoned musicians who have a pristine, new project. Thus is the case with The Revisionists – a Los Angeles headquartered trio that is a mix of pop and Hollywood’s past and present.
Sam Jones, acclaimed director of the Wilco Documentary I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, found himself in a glorious accident with two of his friends with which he’d never formed a band. Dan Lavery and Kevin Shepard originated in the band Tonic in the 1990s, which produced so many hit songs that even those who are just a half-generation behind the times still know their choruses (“If You Could Only See†and “Open Up Your Eyes†anyone?). After years of awards and Grammy nominations, the three were in Dan Lavery’s studio together only a year or so ago.
Having played in several bands, toured the world several times, and collectively sold several millions of records, the trio discovered mutual influences in The Clash, The Jam, David Foster Wallace and others that shaped them as musicians. “We were immediately a band, and we had a purpose,†says Jones. Once wheels were set in motion, The Revisionists got together weekly, playing at high volume until songs started taking shape. Decisions were made quickly and instinctively, preserving the first take whenever possible.
The result is songs that are at once wary and hopeful and a sound that’s live, audacious and pure. Reflecting the members’ heightened awareness of the music industry and the media that surrounds it, The Revisionists’ music displays a hearty resilience coupled with strong pop sensibilities – an unadulterated, uninhibited musical experimentation that recalls punk-rock bravado with social commentary to spare.
“Our music is influenced by our disgust with what our media has become and how so many of us lap it up without forming our own opinions…the feeling of throwing down your hat and saying, ‘can’t we do any better than that?’â€, says Jones. His rustic, rebellious vocals and lyrics put ironic icing on the cake. “Our name conjures the contradictions and duplicity of any famous or infamous entity,†he says. “The Revisionists is a name that acknowledges you can rewrite history however it suits you best in the moment.â€
Unfiltered and unrestrained, this self-titled debut is the pinnacle of “less is more.†The Revisionists packed the album with all the punk-gusto you can muster with only the appropriately bare essentials. Living up to their name, The Revisionists will change how you hear music.