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Reviews of Delayer
"As panoramic as the work of such larger-than-life rock storytellers as the Who." --Magnet
"Combining the scruffy shocks of guitar and dyspeptic swagger of pre-grunge rockers like Agitprop and Pavement with a layered late-90's indie-pop aesthetic best associated with Dave Fridmann... the States' mix of beauty and attack are keenly calibrated" --AP Mag
"A couple parts Chuck Prophet channeling Keith Richards, a pinch of chiming indie pop and dashes of naively swaggering Jonathan Richman and Eef Barzelay with occasional dollops of stripped down baroque rock, and the Heavenly States shimmer out of the rising mist. Like Nada Surf with a delightfully impish streak of Beck, the Heavenly States conjure up drama and whimsy with equal passion and often within the same song" --Amplifier Magazine
The States are trying on a slew of different coats here, and if they sound like both a throwback to soulful proto-Bruce Springsteens like John Mellencamp as well as rock revivalists the Hold Steady (especially on "Lost In The Light"), then wait a track or two as they synthesize the coolelectronic textures of the Postal Service and Stereolab ("Make Up") or break into the dreamy, string-swept Bay Area psych-folk of Kelley Stoltz and Vetiver ("Butterflies," "Roses"). Throughout, the Heavenly States' ambitious sounds fit together divinely. --Magnet Magazine
Ted Nesseth sings as if he was ordained to front a rock band from birth. Highlights include "Lost in the Light," which recalls the Velvet Underground circa Loaded, the slower-paced "Make Up," which breathes the same melancholic air as Jane's Addiction in their quieter moments, and "The System," which is propelled by the kind of squalling guitar riff that would have rocked just as hard in any decade out of the past five " --KQED Arts and Culture
This band has the fury and high energy of TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS or THE ORANGES BAND, with the wit of THE HOLD STEADY... "Lost In The Light" - reminds me of a revved up LOU REED on "Dirty Boulevard" --Future Sounds
An album loaded with monstrously memorable choruses and catchy riffs that are stickier than flypaper.... A fantastic band armed with a huge sound, frighteningly fragile moments and massively poppy tunes. --First Coast News
Top-notch songwriting.... from the wry opening rocker "Morning Exercise" (with a chorus of "It hurts so bad/This goes on the record") to the ultra-catchy, New Pornographers-like finish of "The Race," this is by some measure the Heavenly States' finest work so far. --All Music Guide
Additional Press on The Heavenly States:
For all you indie snobs with a shadowy Dave Matthews Band-loving past, this Oakland, California, trio delivers equal parts patchouli-soaked violin and Superchunk-worthy melodies.--RollingStone
The last great indie-rock violinist, The Dambuilders' Joan Wasser was known for her dark, sawing ardor, but the States' Genevieve Gagon has a breezy, darting quality that deepens and brightens the hummable angst-purging of singer/guitarist Ted Nesseth. Full of romantic, lefty yearning, Nesseth recalls the sweaty conviction of another Ted (Leo).--SPIN
Buoyant, Bush-baiting pop. --Newsweek
Oaktown’s The Heavenly States may wear their pulsating hearts on their sleeves, but I’ll take earnest power-pop liberalism over bored mall-punk any day. From their self-titled 2003 debut to their recent Black Comet, the bands arch wordplay and jagged composition on tracks like “Pretty Life” and “Borderline” have been as compelling as they have been hilarious. Remember, these left-fielders signed on Hardware Wars creator Ernie Fosselius to direct their video for “Car Wash.” So, yeah, they’re well-versed in the intersection of entertainment and absurdity, political or otherwise. (For more on that score, check out their hilarious Flash short Osama bin Lozenges on YouTube. It’s a riot.) This advertisement of the Heavenly States’ artistic agenda was indeed paid for by the L.A. Weekly. But I would have given it to them for free, if they couldn’t pay. --LA Weekly
Teetering between pristine pop and searing punk rock. --Harp
Eschews bobby socks and first kisses for squalling grit à la early-'90s SST tough guys and the noisy theatrics of Dinosaur Jr.--SF Weekly
Bio:
The Heavenly States
Self-sustainable produce since 2002
Asking you to suspend your disbelief since 2002
Monounsaturated since 2002
Your sewer specialists since 2002
Converting your misery into our music since 2002
Supporting cat calendars since 2007
The Heavenly States came about in 2002 when Ted Nesseth (singer, guitar player, lyricist) met Jeremy Gagon (drummer, instrumentalist) through a roomate service. Nesseth, a self-taught lefty who plays upside-down and backwards, and Jeremy, a power drummer with a jazz past, combined forces with Genevieve Gagon (instrumentalist, singer, lyricist) shortly thereafter. Since then, the band has established itself through its writing, touring, and working hard as an independent act. Quietly releasing three critically acclaimed records (Black Comet, King Epiphany, and The Heavenly States s/t), the band's latest effort, Delayer, has won even more attention for the group's songwriting and fully realized arrangements. Still the eclectic The Heavenly States record, Delayer (self-produced) showcases the band's ability to arrange and orchestrate their work while retaining the edge of a band leader weaned on SST records and his father's Wurlitzer jukebox. Characterized as an indie-rock-garage outfit and a "a blast of pure rock-n-roll exilaration" live, The Heavenly States are equally known for their pop-friendly hooks and arrangements. Read more...
Hey, I saw you guys at the Best of the East Bay Express show and really enjoyed your set. I direct music videos and if you guys ever need an awesome one, feel free to hit me up. I did a video for CU Next Weekend, a group who went on before you guys. Enjoy :)
Hey guys! Glad I got a chance to see you at SXSW this year. Seems like only yesterday I was a music director at WMTS, scoping out Black Comet. Meeeeemories....
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