The Submarines Concert Review

Schubas - 02/17/09

Review and Photos By: Matt Ginger


You know its a safe bet when you head out to Schubas, you will get a night filled with great music and this night was certainly no exception. This show was solid from top to bottom, sold out and recorded by WXRT.

Beginning with the heartfelt acoustic style of Kyle Andrews (from Nashville), then nearly run down by The Morning Benders and the extra sweet icing on this evenings cake of rock were The Submarines.

The Morning Benders blew me away with their bouncy and catchy tunes and I am going to keep a close eye on these guys for sure.

The Submarines are a great group with a diverse blend of sounds, set against a 60's flower power scene; they deliver a wonderful mix of musical delight. It has been said that love can be bittersweet like licking honey off of a thorn, and The Submarines with their honest, real world lyrics and message of hope in a bottle is winning city after city over with sold out shows along the length of their tour. It is a testament to their great songwriting, stage presence and tunes that will keep you moving and motivated.

WXRT was there and recorded the show as well and it’s a must find! I can't wait till they come back to Chicago; it simply won’t be soon enough.

Another great night of fantastic music at Schubas!






The Submarines Bio

"In the beginning, we all start as a tiny seed, then a tender sprout. With water, light and the hope of love, we grow up toward the skies above."

John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard recorded HONEYSUCKLE WEEKS, their second album as THE SUBMARINES, as summer vines blossomed and the sun coaxed green grasses up around the stones leading from their East LA home to their garage-turned-home-studio. Honeysuckle Weeks weaves together themes drawn from their immediate surroundings and experience: the garden outside, and the push and pull of life and love inside.

After touring behind their debut, Declare a New State, in the US and Europe, The Submarines were ready to make an album that felt good not only to record but to play in a live setting. "Our first album was hugely cathartic for us to make, dealing with a breakup and getting out the sorrow, but we’ve been ready to freak out and have a lot more fun this time around. We're thankful not to have to make that record again, to be in a better place," says Hazard. Honeysuckle Weeks also marks the duo’s first album made collaboratively; Declare A New State was written separately during a breakup and recorded upon their reunion.

Sonically, Honeysuckle Weeks is a glorious collage of The Submarines' wide-ranging influences, from old-school dub (most evident in tracks like "1940" and"Fern Beard") to intricately layered electronica (as in the psychedelic-classical "Submarine Symphonika" and "The Thorny Thicket") to 60’s pop (as on "Swimming Pool" and the Santaria-inspired "Xavia"). While some songs started with a traditional guitar-in-hand approach, many began with instrumental tracks composed by Dragonetti, which Hazard then completed with words and melody, drawing on each of the their musical strengths. Dragonetti--who masterminded the recording--says, "The glitch is enjoyable, but so are the Beatles, so I just try to follow what the song calls for." The duo was also joined on a number of tracks by the phenomenal Section Quartet.

The record is as diverse in theme as it is in sound. The time-warped "1940" conjures the things that go bump! in the night, while "The Wake Up Song" portrays a couple's start to the day--the act of preparing to leave the house, setting the stage for relationship dynamics. "You, Me and the Bourgeoisie" addresses the need for social consciousness, while acknowledging the hypocrisies inherent in our own contemporary lives. The most prevalent theme in the record, however, is the garden. Whether it’s thorns wrapped around the heart in "The Thorny Thicket" or plants taking back the city in "Fern Beard," the leafy tangle surrounding The Submarines' studio made its way into the songs with a fresh energy. The days when the garden grew while the album blossomed were The Submarines' Honeysuckle Weeks.

"We're not living the good life, unless we're fighting the good fight."

You can find out more about The Submarines at: http://www.thesubmarines.com/