In today’s modern music marketplace, it has never been easier for musicians to have their work heard by a sizable audience. The Internet, social media, and the increased ease of home recording have all contributed to the breaking down of walls between artists and fans.
Giant acts like U2 and Taylor Swift have made the news in recent months for the different approaches they’ve employed in controlling the distribution of their work, and given the reaction from other artists, bands and recording engineers, it appears that one fact remains certain. Though being a professional musician takes plenty of hard work and determination, it also never hurts to be a good salesman.
Taking its name from the sometimes-aggressive pitchmen of old, the Southcoast Massachusetts band, Huxster, acknowledges the part played by salesmanship in a group’s present-day interaction with potential listeners.
“All bands are ‘Huxsters’ selling their music,” said Huxster drummer and background vocalist Joe Patten during a recent interview. “May explain why our first disc was called Snake Oil.”
That album, released in 2010, launched the career of Huxster in New England, despite the fact that the band’s members – Patten, Paul Amenta (guitar, vocals), and David Dunn (bass, vocals) – had already been involved either together or in different bands around the area for years.
Dunn, now a resident of Mattapoisett, even gained some renown playing in the group Machinery Hall, which won the Boston Music Award for Best Rock Act in 1996, and saw its song “Herd” hit number one on the charts in Scotland.
Patten said, “Sometime around 2004 or 2005 some of us had been playing in a cover band and the singer’s brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. He decided to take some time off and during this time, we starting recording some original material for fun. This led to the first CD and the formation of the band.”
Early tracks from Snake Oil,like “I’ll Be Fine” and “Something Better,” show Huxster’s competency at crafting well-produced rock that is punctuated by crisp guitar solos and yearning vocals. However, the scope of the band’s talent really becomes apparent when one listens to its 2013 release Bourbon Stomp, which consists of acoustic material played with a country-tinged, Americana edge.
The instrumental title track and numbers like “Let It Go,” “Bliss” and “Day to Shine,” are glowing examples of songs that feel warm and intimate, qualities that other east coast bands are quick to note when describing Huxster.
“Huxster’s the real deal,” said Kevin Drinan, guitarist and vocalist for the Boston group Glowbox when asked to share his thoughts on the band. “They know how to write a great rock song that’s loaded with hooks, and it’s getting increasingly harder to find bands these days who rock hard and still have that great sense of melody. There aren’t a lot of bands around now who write stuff that gets stuck in your head for days, but these guys manage to do it.”
“The band Huxster has been part of a steadily growing scene,” contributed Rick O’Neal, bassist for the Worcester-based group The Delta Generators. “You can’t really get more compact than they are with three pieces, but you don’t need to add anything either because those pieces fit together so well.”
“They’re a group of talented musicians that write genuine appealing music,” added Glowbox bassist Rick Famiglietti. “In today’s day and age, it’s always inspiring to hear music with integrity.”
Integrity is important, but so is product. And Huxster is currently hard at work putting the finishing touches on its third full-length release, which should be available in early 2015. Two songs from the still un-titled record, “I’ll Find A Way” and “Guns and Roses,” have already been shared online by the band, providing up-tempo previews of what should be an evolved effort from the group.
Patten explained, “We’ve spent the last year working closely with Paul David Hager on our new recording. Paul has been on tour as the live engineer for Miley Cyrus and actually mixed some of our songs while in South America, Australia and New Zealand.” He continued, “Paul also has worked with Van Halen, Devo, American Hi-Fi and the local band Letters to Cleo. Basic tracking began at Powerstation studios in Connecticut and we recorded all the overdubs such as guitars and vocals locally.”
Those anxious to see Huxster perform live will have to wait until the band finalizes plans for a record release show, which is now tentatively scheduled to take place in southern Massachusetts sometime in January. But Patten is unequivocal in his praise for the work he and his band mates have put into their latest release.
“We have evolved and grown as a band,” he said. “We think this new record is our best.”
For more information on Huxster, please visit www.huxsterband.com.
By Michael Cimaomo
