The Riffbrokers have gilded the lily on their third full length release entitled Weight of Line and Intersection . The husband and wife team of Nick and Heather Millward have gathered a fine crop of musical fellows from such bands as The Young Sportsmen, North Twin and The Doll Test to stack heaps of whip crack guitar and pure pop harmonies all over the ten songs on this outing. The sound is rootsy Americana without slipping into affectation. There’s also plenty of driving rock and roll front loaded into this third offering. Check out the snarling guitars and barroom-throated singing on “Evaporate” or the strident chime of “Nothing Doing Today”. Thoughtful and full of road map, indie band mythos, Weight of Line and Intersection is a lovingly crafted valentine to the DIY rock and roll people traversing the black rivers girdling the lower forty-eight..
Unsmashable, 2004
"Roots-y rock that takes elements of Social Distortion and the Jayhawks and mashes them together with the likes of the Del-Lords and Del Fuegos and others in a refreshing and thoughtful mix that gives you plenty of hope for the future of rock 'n' roll. But The Riffbrokers is more than a really good band � it's a really good band that's managed to give us a really fine album."
The Riffbrokers' record Your Superhero in That Bar takes a refreshing approach to power pop. Their sound is decidedly infused with a southern twang, not country, but humidity and Budweiser in a bar at 2 am. Nick Millward, the Riffbrokers' chief broker, sells sass and defeat like self-esteem interest rates are at an all time low. His Mason-Dixie grit drys up the vocals and guitars alike, yet he wisely recognizes the need to offset the sour with plenty of pop sweet.
About Me -
Nick Millward, whoever the hell he is, is a barroom poet of some talent. With good ol' boy, Marlboro throated delivery, the songwriter and presumed leader of the mouthful-monikered Unsmashable Riffbrokers presents six lyrically intriguing tunes in their eponymously titled debut. "Every time I try to drown my sorrows/ you keep tossing them a line" growls Millward beginning the first track, 'Borrowed Shirt,' which contains another eloquent gem later on- "Wading in the shallow end of small talk/ like a blind dog in a busy street." McGuinn inspired 12- string spruces up the incomprehensible 'Car Bomb' and Millward returns to near genius one and two liners in 'Bland, Predictable' ("I prefer to keep my feathers far from your tar"), 'Shot Glass Size' ("she knows my name but she won't say hi/ gives me hypothermia and watches me die") and 'Petard' ( " The Prettiest girl sits five chairs apart from a broken heart"). The closer, 'Lenient,' is a statement of down-and-out defiance: "Baby I never promised you I wouldn't do it again.'
The music? Countrified Tim-era Replacements, produced by Johnny Sangster at Egg Studios. Alex Richards' nifty electric leads propel every number, and bassist Heather Burnett and drummer Dustin Miller provide a solid honky-tonk rhythm section. Altogether, a tight, toe-tapping background for Millward's inspired rhtyme and authentic, if not exactly eardrum caressing voice. The name's gotta go however ... change it to just the Riffbrokers and this quartet will fit on a marquee very nicely - STEVE STAV, BACKFIRE, AUG. 2001
Booze-The Verves (a tribute to the Velvet Underground)-The Sleaze Tax
The Maltese 1600 Park Ave. Chico, CA 95928
9:30 pm 21+ $3 cover Local legend Lori Campion is blowing through town June 27 with her classic Chico bands, Booze (featuring Tom Little, Carey Wilson, Campion), The Verves - a Tribute to the Velvet Underground (featuring Campion, Joe Martin of Job's DeSoto, Charles Mohnike of Job's DeSoto and Carey Wilson).
Headlining the show will be Barbara Manning's local band, The Sleaze Tax.
That's right - for only $3 you can experience the best of the Chico rock scene, cheap beer, and loud women.
If you aren’t too terribly busy, we’d love you to join us this Saturday at Conor Byrne in Ballard, where we will be playing with a lovely band called the Crying Shame. Love, the Big Surs.
Hi Im going to be in your area soon. Im writing a new book about the people I meet on the road. We should throw a small party together. If you want to hang out ,message me at my other site here www. myspace. com/toohotforfizzle We dont read the messages at the circus site. There are too many there and hard to manage
