Frankie O'Malley-drums/guitars/vox
Michael O'Malley-bass/vox
Patrick O'Malley-drums/guitars/vox
Patrick Mangan-bass/vox
Sounds Like
"Atomic Pop"
Rolling Stone
"Wild and crazy, family style"
Chicago Tribune
"No list of America's best current rock n' roll bands is complete without mention of Chicago's SAFES. The brothers O'Malley tear it up live and put out fabulous recordings to boot."
NowWave Magazine
"When swept up by their pop-rock passions, The SAFES are capable of making the past seem like an innocent blast."
Washington Post
"...garage-kissed powerpop..."
San Francisco Chronicle
"One of the best records of the year."
Razorcake
"'Well, Well, Well' marks a move away from The SAFES' grittier beginnings and toward the more melodic pop sensibility favored by the likes of Fountains of Wayne and The Raconteurs' Brendan Benson"
Boston Globe
"Chicago power-pop band-- centered around a trio of multi-instrumentalist brothers-- craft well-executed songs. "Phone Book Full of Phonies" takes glam-stomp's boogie and strips out all the excess weight to make it run faster, "Deception" condenses the limber debauchery of early 70s Rolling Stones into 1:47, and "Bliss This Instance" takes the aforementioned Kinks-circa-'66 vibe to a raucous, horn-filled conclusion."
Pitchfork
"As long as massive hooks, power chords, singalong choruses, and sweet brotherly harmonies ring out over boomboxes and iPod earbuds, there will always be an exalted place for songs like these."
Paste Magazine
“… [The Safes are] somewhere along the sweet side of the garage continuum,
borrowing guitar hooks from the Who but tuneful inventiveness from the
Kinks and the Beatles”
PopMatters
"A tightness that reminds me of Cheap Trick, with a trim, post-Buzzcocks sense of how to make hooks hurt- the riff of "Since Trust Went Bust" moves with a grim determination, as if it were marching through the Loop's skyscraper canyons during a windstorm."
Chicago Reader
"A Chicago band that employs lots of power chords, and would probably would appeal to fans of similarly Idolator-beloved bands like Exploding Hearts and The M's"
Idolator.com
"The SAFES makes sugary pop-rock that seems like it would fit right in on mainstream radio."
Time Out New York
"If films such as The Boondock Saints have taught us anything, it's that you don't fuck with Irish-Catholic brothers. And so although the O'Malley siblings (Frankie, Michael and Patrick) of The SAFES may not come brandishing baseball bats, there's an exterior toughness to them that conceals hearts of gold (just like the best Irish poets and brawlers)."
Riverfront Times
"'Well, Well, Well', a self-released gem of natty garage rock, calls to mind such retrofitted Motor City hip shakers as the Dirtbombs and the Detroit Cobras. Spend five minutes grooving along to the chummy harmonies, and you'll begin to understand why these bros are threatening the Redwalls as the reigning Chi-town buzz bandits. “
The Pitch
"The manic Townsend/Moon Who-stylee pop-rock on the band's latest, "Well, Well, Well" keeps us scratching our heads and wondering what segment of the collective consciousness these three guys are tapping into. Because we want access to that little perfect corner of the universe too."
Chicagoist
"Often tagged as either powerpop or garage rock, Chicago’s The SAFES dodge such genre-specific descriptions with the new "Well Well Well", an album brimming with razor sharp rock and roll."
Lumino Magazine
"Chicago's The Safes isn't all power chords, hooks, and harmonies (though it's got all that nailed down). The trio jams bright melodies, bluesy stomps, and every mood from silly to bitter into tight-and-fast power pop songs on "Well, Well, Well."
The Onion
"The taunting lyrics that pervade "Well, Well, Well" fit its nervy sonic vibe: The Safes are demoralized, exploited and pissed off, and these hot emotions seethe beneath the gleaming veneer of expertly crafted pop songs. Its propulsive hooks and honey melodies dare you not to hum along, while the tight-as-a-tourniquet arrangements reward repeated, closer listens."
In Take
The SAFES - The Sky is Falling
"Sight of all Light"
Directed by Andrew Maggio
Puppets by Rachel Frizzi
The SAFES - Since Trust Went Bust
"Well Well Well"
Directed by Andrew Maggio
The SAFES - Deception
"Well, Well, Well"
Directed by Nika Thiel
The SAFES - Wired
"Boogie Woogie Rumble"
Directed by Andrew Maggio
Brothers Frankie, Michael and Patrick O'Malley are The Safes. Growing up, these sons of Irish immigrants were surrounded by music. Their father Frank O'Malley, a working musician, record collector and all around music lover, filled the house with live sounds, great records (Fats Domino, Magic Sam, Hank Williams) and an array of instruments: an environment that led to the development of this very special band. Having played in groups together and apart since they were kids, The Safes have that unique chemistry that comes when talented siblings form a band (think Kinks, CCR, AC/DC). This chemistry fuels The Safes’ records as well as their characteristically kinetic live shows.
The Safes' style is pure rock' n'roll fire with lyrics that cut. Time and time again, The Safes' songs deliver first-listen hooks, smart lyrics, and clever arrangements. The Safes' sound is sizzling pop and rock that's sugar sweet on the outside and snarling conviction on the inside-they're pop tunesmiths who play with punk rock intensity.
Since forming in 2003 The Safes have released their debut LP Family Jewels, follow-up EP Boogie Woogie Rumble, and LP Well Well, Well to great success. Touring coast-to-coast The Safes have established loyal fanbases across the country on the strength of their live show a sweaty explosion of energy and melody.
The quality of their releases has also brought The Safes national recognition in such notable publications as Rolling Stone, Boston Globe, Paste Magazine, Washington Post, Pitchfork, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Kansas City Star, and numerous weeklies, fanzines, and e-zines.
Those releases have also led to extended stays on CMJ’s Top 200, extensive airplay and live performances on radio stations such as WFMU, WLUW, KHDX, WMBR, and along with commercial stations KROQ, WFNX, WXRT, Q101 and WLUP. The Safes produce their own records but have been fortunate to work alongside producers/engineers Jim Diamond (White Stripes), Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine), and Keith Cleversley (Flaming Lips) on their records.
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