A Gentlemanly Conversation with Starving the Tsunami

            Another week, another interview.  This week we head back to Philadelphia to talk with Starving the Tsunami.  Elliot wrote about them a few weeks back, and really dug the sound they were putting out.  We decided to shoot them a message, and between the two of us we came up with some questions to ask this new band.   Check it out!

Where did the name Starving the Tsunami come from?
           Originally wanted a name that really didn’t have any specific meaning... something that would gain its own meaning amongst those who listened and connected with Tsunami. It may have been inspired by a conversation over Taco Bell.

How did you guys meet?

The roster changed a bit before the line up was solidified in its present form. Mike and Luis met from a craigslist ad. Luis met Dan at a Tsunami show at The Fire in Fishtown. Mike had talked about Dan being a bass player previously, and Luis was intent on scooping up Dan when he relocated from Syracuse New York. The boys met Tina at a south Philly watering hole, Grumpy’s. Luis had a chance to hang with Tina after the bar closed one night. He picked up a guitar and Tina sang improv. He knew then that he wanted her as the new Tsunami front woman.

How long have you guys been playing music together?

The current line up has been playing for about a year and a half.

Elliott had a hard time describing your sound, how would you guys describe it?

When we heard Elliot’s remark in regards to his difficulty in describing our style, we were pleased. Irregardless, Our focus has always been to remain undefined in genre type.

Why is it so important for you guys to remain undefined in genre type?

 Because we're not hobbyists, we're artists.

Who would you say you're most influenced by?

 Everybody in Tsunami pretty much has roots in either the punk or metal scene.

Are you guys trying to gain a certain reaction from your audience with your music?

We really just like to make music that we enjoy listening to and playing. We hope that our songs are loved by people as much as we love them. Simple as that.

"Howl Like The Wind" Has a lot of lyrical repetition.  Why did you decide to structure the song like that?

This was a decision made by Luis during the production process. His whims are inexplicable; usually due to his- and Tina's alcoholic consumption during tracking. 

Now that Tarot has been released, are you planning on following up with a full LP?

We’re currently working on a new installment. Whether we decide to do an EP or LP is going to depend on what unfolds over this spring.

Are you guys planning on a new direction musically with your next release, or are you hoping to try something new?

To answer your question(s): Yes. it is decidedly so.

Is there someone who you guys would love to do a collaboration with?

Yeah a record label.

Do you have any gigs coming up?

We have many shows lined up over this spring and summer with hopes to tour late summer early fall. Anyone can check if we’re coming their way at our Facebook page.

How has Philadelphia effected you musically?

We love cheap beer and bad food.

Now the real question: Pat's or Geno's?

Neither, unless you want a mouth infection. They’re tourists attractions, and sell nothing more than glorified roast beef sandwiches. Cosmi’s is right in south Philly..and Max’s on Broad and Erie in North Philly is amazing.

Well there you have it.  Go on their bandcamp and facebook to get the music and hear about the latest show updates.

Also you can like us on facebook, and check out some of our other interviews with Colleen Green and Buffalo Stance.

New Album from Three Weeks ago - Tarot by Starving the Tsunami

Hi again!

As you may know, we at the blog are perpetually searching for new bands to help quench our undying thirst for good music. It is my hobby and my passion. Actually, it would be more fitting if I said it is my addiction; I may or may not get the shakes if I don’t listen to something new every week. Like most druggies, my addiction has taken me to some very dark places that I am not proud of.

 I have been getting my most recent fix by listening to 80’s Russian post-punk. Just imagine 80’s music from the Soviet Union and you have a pretty good picture of how far I have fallen*. But just as I reached my darkest point, a guiding light brought me back from the brink of despair. This guiding light took the form of an upcoming south Philly band called Starving the Tsunami, and like all guiding lights, it rocked.

Overly dramatic introductions aside, Starving the Tsunami is pretty awesome. Any band that continuously makes me think I am listening to Janis Joplin is doing something right. Tsunami’s lead singer, Teena Leeds, sounds like Janis before her voice was put in a blender. They are not Janis Joplin though; their style is far too different. Their style is akin to most modern rock bands, but there sound is just not clean cut enough to be considered Indy or Alt rock. But their music is definitely rock; I just have a hard time describing it beyond that. I guess I would call them bohemian rock if that was a thing; passionate and intense, but sounding like it is coming from an apartment above a coffee shop (note that I do not consider that a bad thing).

Starving the Tsunami’s first EP, Tarot, is a very good first work. It has some really interesting riffs and baselines that really tickle me in the right places. Also as I have said above, their lead singer is amazing. They also have some awesome solos, especially in my favorite track, “Army of the Strange”. They also have one or two tempo/stylistic breakdowns that I absolutely love. That being said, there music suffers from one fatal flaw; there songs are too long.

Now you should note that I usually take the opposite view on music; songs should be as long as they need to be. For heaven’s sake, “Bros” by Panda Bear is one of my favorite songs every and it is over ten minutes long. However, Tsunami’s songs are too long with each clocking in at over six minutes each. The problem is that there just is not six minutes worth of music in each track. The chorus’s repeat a few times to often at the end. Also, while I love some of the breakdowns, sometimes they make the songs meander dangerously close to becoming “free form jazz explorations”.

So while their music is not divine perfection (really, there can only be one Man Man) like I implied in my introduction, it really worth a listen. Tarot is a good first work that shows a lot of promise (and totally worth buying at $3). I hope that Starving the Tsunami is able to get the time, space, and money they need to put out a full length debut album. If they do, I will be sure to let you know about it here.

Pick up Tarot here or like Starving the Tsunami's Facebook page here.
Like the blog's Facebook page here.

*In all seriousness though, Кино́ has some pretty awesome stuff and is considered one of the most famous and important rock bands in the USSR. Check out my current personal favorite tune “Место для шага вперед” here.