With the upcoming release of their second full-length, Columbus veterans The Bygones are continuing to prove that, in the heart of it all, there's still real rock n'roll breathing. The debut LP, Circles (Derailer Records, Columbus, Ohio, 2002), made The Bygones' presence known and was hailed as "drinking music for drinking alone" (J. Caleb Mozzocco, Columbus Alive).
Now at work finishing up their second full-length, In Threes, The Bygones consist of Bill Wagner (lead vocals, guitars), Matt Wagner (guitars, vocals), Brett Burleson (bass, vocals) and Billy Heingartner (drums, vocals). The new songwriting takes more pages from Velvet Underground, Neil Young and early Van Morrison. And if you're lucky enough to see them live, you might catch a pristine cover of the Stones' "Gimme Shelter," the Beatles' "Everybody's Got Something to Hide (Except for Me and My Monkey)" or the Chambers Brothers' "Time has Come Today."
The second album promises to deliver more from the band's live, foot-stompin', supercharged shows. More centered on storytelling and rooted in beat-driven rock, Bill Wagner's songwriting has grown legs that can't keep from shakin'. Once referred to as "pound-for-pound the most innate and lyrical (translation: best) rock guitarist in the city" (Jerry Dannemiller, The Other Paper), Wagner's songs are inspired, subject matter still dark, still intimate, melodies even prettier, often backed by three- and four-part harmonies. And while fresh, The Bygones have remained hauntingly familiar, adding a sense of timelessness to the songs.
No longer looking back at the things that will hold you, The Bygones look ahead. As "Landslide" declares, "I had my problems/ I scraped for a nickel and dime/ I had some bad times/ It's been comin' such a long time," The Bygones are back with a raw vengeance. If Circles was the perfect album to put on at 4:30 in the morning, after some serious partying, when most sensible people and would-be rockers are long tucked away, The Bygones' new material is the album you put on before steppin out to the bar, when the night is young, and you're getting into character.
The Bygones can also be found on the Cringe.com/pilation Volume I: The Columbus Sound (2001) and the Flatland Solutions compilation Columbus Needs a Mountain (2003). Their poster art by Will Ruocco can be seen in The Art of Rock N'Roll; Poster Explosion.
Hey thanks for the add! How are things going for you guys, are you playing any gigs in the near future? Let me know if you are looking to get into a studio. I will hook you up!
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