CDReviews.comby Kristen Brown - Nov. 2006 Their interesting mix of genres and quirky, mellow attitude makes for one of the strongest albums of its kind this year. They manage to achieve something, surprisingly, that far too many bands can’t figure out how to attain: versatility. . . What come out of it are songs like “Ramona” and “Clock Ticks,” which sound a lot like Sublime with a hint of Incubus, and others, like “Yanamo,” which is distinctly grungy and has a harder rock edge. The real pleasant surprise, however, is “Maybe It’s You,” which brings Weezer to mind during the chorus, somehow. And to make themselves look even better, “Sully’s Wedding,” brings to mind Dave Matthews Band’s “Angel,” but miraculously they sound nothing like Dave Matthews Band themselves.
The New Times (San Luis Obispo, CA) by Glen Starkey. 2/06 Austin based FULL SERVICE - like Sublime or Bad Brains - mixes metal, punk, and reggae. But unlike those two bands, FULL SERVICE's music yields a decidedly different sound, which they call "crunchy reggae loud groove metal," and the difference is the "groove."
Austin INsite Magazine (Austin, TX) feature article. Oct. 2006 Full Service refers to the fact that at any given show you go from soothing rhythm to hard rock to heavy funk to . . . well, a combination of all three. The brilliance is in how it is all woven together in a way that nobody has done before. . . The more I've listened to the band the more I've come to realize that the riveting guitars and the catchy baseline are strangely melodic in ways unlike any other band has mastered. Everything is upbeat without feeling forced. The music seems to echo Full Service's outlook on life with the integrity that is lacking in most of today's music. To listen is to appreciate their perspective on life.
Jersey Beat Magazine (New Jersey) by James Testa. March 2006 “FULL SERVICE – Sawngs (www.fullservicemusic.com) These Austin mooks leap back in time about 15 years, when about half the indie bands in America seemed to be playing this style of hairy, sweaty, shirtless funk. They’ve even got totally duded out names like Hoag, Bonesaw, Twink, and Smell. Thing is, they do it well, with chops and groove to spare, mixing elements of da funk with reggae, surf, rock, and even a little Faith No More quirkiness. Since this sound mutated into the jam band genre, it’s not surprising that Full Service likes to stretch things out. But they keep the solos tasty and concise, and with this much soulfulness going on, you really don’t mind the 5 minute songs. In fact, I kinda like it. In 1992, I would have thrown this against the wall; nowadays, it’s a breezy, refreshing change of pace. Go figure.”
Full Service is a crunchy reggae, groove metal band consisting of two brothers (Hoag on drums/vocals and Bonesaw on guitar/vocals), one alien (bassist Twinky-P) and one early hominid (percussionist/rhythm guitarist Smellman). Contrary to popular belief, their nicknames existed before the band was formed.
Upon graduation from Yale in 2003, Hoag trekked to Austin, TX to join Bonesaw (2000 Amherst College graduate) to launch their music career. They solidified the line-up in late 2004 and in the following 21 months released four albums, collaborating twice with platinum-producer Stuart Sullivan (Sublime, Butthole Surfers), and completed four national "TourSaws" (two on the West Coast, three on the East Coast).
They regularly perform in Austin and Houston’s premier venues (Flamingo Cantina, Stubb's, Antone's, Fitzgerald’s) and in many regional festivals (KLBJ Local Licks Live, KVRX Local Live, ME Television, Austin Public Access Television, SXSW Indie Alliance, Austin Reggae Festival, The Pecan St. Festival, Texas Rock Fest).
In addition, they have sponsorship agreements with San Diego surfboard/clothing line, “The Walker Project,” and Austin-based iced tea company, “Sweet Leaf.”
Their charming "duded-out" persona, coupled with their creative promotional hijinks ("takeovers" outside radio stations, "banner-runs" down Austin’s famous 6th Street before shows, "listening booths" at Barton Springs), have helped them build a strong grassroots following in Texas' Weirdest City and beyond. And their unique lingo ("Saw," "Bo Ding," etc.) has infiltrated high schools and colleges around Texas.
All four Full Service albums are for sale on iTunes, and the website never quits: insane amounts of video (including an episode of Cribs) tons of tour-diaries, and photos of them climbing trees in Laguna Beach and dancing on the dugout at Fenway Park. (Don't ask).
Kristen Brown from CDreviews.com had this to say about the new album Recess: "They manage to achieve something, surprisingly, that far too many bands can’t figure out how to attain: versatility. . . finally, originality has been resurrected."
It is this versatility that makes the live show so unpredictable. There are no pre-packaged "sets,” rehearsed stage moves, feigned passion. The fans belong to the band, not to the scene. Conversely, Full Service's fans (or "FanSaws", as they proudly call themselves) will follow the guys wherever they want to go.
Hoag has been known to come out from behind the drums to perform hands-free. Or a break-dancing troupe may chop it up in the middle of the floor. Twink will awe the crowd with his patented aerial display! Groove metal effortlessly melts into one-drop reggae, sometimes in the same song. Sometimes an all acoustic performance is dropped into the middle of the set. And the FanSaws get it; it's not just a clever name. It really is Full Service.
Turn ons
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