the Mitchells
Self-titled CD


Contraption
None Too Awful Bright




Misc.


(Reprinted from MassLive.com - Springfield Republican)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are

Whatever happened to indie-rock? It is alive and well and living in the Pioneer Valley. Just ask The Mitchells who honor the form with their 10-song disc. Discordant guitar riffs and quirky tales that ride along to the beat and melody of semi-pop. - Donnie Moorehouse
MassLive.com



(Reprinted from Ghetto Blaster Magazine)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Pigeon Records

The Mitchells call Northampton, Massachusetts home and let's face it, they have a long legacy to live up to. But comparisons are cheap and I won't even bother with such convoluted contrasts. I can however, bring up the fact that frontman Caleb Wetmore has been handling bass duties in New Radiant Storm King for years now but the Mitchells is a different beast altogether. His delivery may be reminiscent of Frank Bruno but the sound is distinct when clashing against the group's own music. Fervent is a word that comes to mind and you might have the basis there with the opening "Our TV Theme" as the Mitchells run quickly through it with chafing guitar lines and a frantically paced rhythm in just under 2 and 1/2 minutes. The expressive guitar lines are what make this one so divergent from the band's contemporaries. It's significantly rubbing up against my ears over anything else. yes it's higher in the mix than anything else at times but I wouldn't change a thing. And so the band plays with friendly melodies occasionally wrapping them around dissonance like on "Stakeout". It seems as if so many bands have forgotten how significant it can be to use dissonance but the Mitchells make full use of it here and it works augmenting the song. They don't over do it but they're able to utilize it to create a sound all their own. Hear Where You Are is what music should be sometimes; on the brink of falling apart but held together by fluidity and caressing melodies. - Eddie Ugarte
Ghetto Blaster.com



(Reprinted from South Of Mainstream.com)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Pigeon Records

This disc has an interesting disjointed, rhythmic appeal. There's jangle and stuttering rhythmic start and stop momentum. It's got a bit of a math rock sound as well. At the same time that it's measured and mechanical, it is also disjointed and chaotic. At times atonal and at others uniquely melodic, this is an interesting and intriguing listen. It might take several listens to get past the discord and odd timing, but it's well worth it when you finally "get it".
Caleb Wetmore's vocals require some getting used to, as well. At the outset they seem almost robotic, like an android from Star Wars might sound. But continued listens make sure you note the pleasant timbre, the soothing deep tone and the unique and charming style. While his vocals are truly unique, I am reminded just a bit of the lead singer of the Smoking Popes. Besides that similarity, the vocal style still seems familiar, but I can't pin down a certain artist.
Musically there's a bit of similarity to Superchunk. There's a semi-sloppy guitar style and interesting drum and bass maneuvers. There's the same devil may care energy and sense of a band more intent on creating music for the interested listening audience than industry suits.
Slower tracks like "Cheap Date" don't suit the vocal and musical style as well as the more "hopping" tracks. The rapid tempo and jangly guitar foundation better suit the band. Standout examples are "USS Macon" and "Our TV Theme".
The more I listen to this disc, the more enjoyable it becomes. It more than likely won't appeal to the masses, as it's lacking even the most tenuous hold on vapid "alternative mainstream" radio style. This can only be considered a good thing. Join the semi-exclusive club and add the Mitchells to your indie record rotation. (4 of 5 stars) - By compgeekgirl



(Reprinted from Splendid E-Zine)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Pigeon Records

The Mitchells need to do an entire concept album on which they pretend to be robots. They could have a song about how they cannot understand this human emotion called...love. There could be a ditty about the laws of robotics (naturally), and a room-clearing rocker about killing all humans, and perhaps a techno-pop intermission number called "Error, Does Not Compute". I suggest this only because lead singer Caleb Wetmore sounds like he's already most of the way there.

It's a fun sound, though. Wetmore uses every available kilobyte of his personality file to bolster his Devo-ish android drone. The Mitchells join in on this bounciness full-bore, perhaps fearful of displeasing Caleb and seeing his eyes turn that terrifying laser red. The chance of painful robot death seems justified, however, by the number of ready hooks the group delivers -- especially as Caleb's metallic voice is the first ingredient in the mix, making The Mitchells sound harder than a typical bouncy pop group, and thus far more distinctive.

No simple three-chord progressions move Hear Where You Are; that function is fulfilled by guitar jamming and effects-twiddling, which molds itself to the upbeats and downbeats of the lyrical melody. The Mitchells' vaguely suburban subject matter is paired with galloping rhythms that give the songs a more-energetic-than average bent. The casual artistry with which The Mitchells construct and roll out this energy becomes a hook in itself, making it easier and easier to get involved in the music, even if the message doesn't impress you.

Quieter songs fall victim to this constant pace, so it's fortunate that the ten-song Hear Where You Are ends before exhausting your capacity for the wall-to-wall rock. That said, it's hard to tell whether The Mitchells have anything else to offer; they might be better off stopping here, if the alternative is rehashing Hear Where You Are ad infinitum. For the time being, Hear Where You Area[sic] sounds like an album that The Mitchells worked very hard to get just right, and it's something to be proud of. They'd do well to be content with it -- at least until Wetmore upgrades his firmware to Songwriter 8.0. - Chris Greenland



(Reprinted from Northeast Performer)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Pigeon Records

To all those who will say, and have said, that the Mitchells are one of many indie bands from the Pavement/Superchunk mold, I say go listen to your noise rock or warmed-over post punk or whatever is hip this week. Yeah, they are a loyal follower of the 1990s indie rock tradition (is it a tradition yet?) but they do it a lot better than that similar band from your town. Plus, I have a real soft spot for bands that release a lot of good recordings on tiny but respectable labels (in this case, their own Small Batch Records and Pigeon Records) and seem to have no intention of making it big, even if “big” means a 7” on K. The Mitchells share a singer/guitarist with fellow western Massachusetts natives New Radiant Storm King, not to mention some sonic similarities. The syncopated guitar style and no-nonsense rhythm section are all there, but the Mitchells are still in the glorious rag-tag stage of indie rock that NRSK have left behind; note the occasionally sloppy guitars, the sing-songy vocals, and even the Pavement-ish song titles (“Flashlight Hunter,” “Vault Alarms”). Ahh, “Cheap Date”; reason number one why this particular copy of hear where you are will not be found in the used bin. Sentimental in a not-quite-in-touch-with-your-feelings kind of way (“You'll find me spilling my keys/Walking on untied ice skates”), there's revelation to be found in there somewhere between the calm verses and the frustrated chorus. “USS Macon” sounds as if it has the force of Jason Loewenstein working for it as overdriven guitars bounce back and forth and genuine tension is released in the gargantuan, shuffle-beat-enhanced chorus. Speaking of Jason Leowenstein, his last record had the same vibe and has been in constant rotation on the CD player as I predicted last year, yet I didn't praise the bejeezus out of it back then. So, no more similar mistakes; hear where you are is comfortable in all the right ways and deserves your time and money. These songs may have been done by someone else in some way at some time, but nowhere near as well. - Peter Hanlon
Northeast Performer.com



(Reprinted from tinymixtapes.com)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Pigeon Records

Now, now, I can see you crying. Have you no shame? Please dry your eyes. I know the announcement came suddenly; perhaps it was even a little premature. And it’s plain to see that the news has you in quite a tizzy. But really, there is simply no need to get your Converses’ all in a knot.

The news came in January, but all this stringing along has only made it worse on your already weak heart. At first, a farewell three live dates remained, then a rather robust number of ten stops were added, then the tour dates starting falling from the sky and the opportunities for a final goodbye were practically locked, even for those morose ones in Japan. But all that anti-climatic, post-breakup declaration, touring, promised re-mixed albums, possible solo albums, and indie news from Pitchfork and Tiny Mix Tapes has just made you all the more nostalgic for the good ol’ days when the future looked endless for your beloved D-Plan.

Now, I will tell why you needn’t fret... oh no-no, The Dismemberment Plan is still breaking up (or should I say they are STILL breaking up). The real motive for not losing your composure is this: another band is willing and ready to reign in the loose slack that The Plan is about to relinquish.
There are called The Mitchells and they come to us from the Affleckian Massachusetts in which they have been a band for quite a few years already, nine to be exact. In fact, The Mitchells released seven different albums in EP, LP, CD, cassette, and vinyl form during that time frame.

Please, don’t whimper like that, The Mitchells really DO sound a lot like The D-Plan, perhaps a little less spastic and a little more intent on the hooks while mixing post-Pavement indie-ness with a vocalist sounding a little more like Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies than Mr. Morrison, but still keeping David Thomas and some other important art-pop progenitors close by for reference.

You’re right, it "just isn’t the same." But if there’s one that knows the ice of Boston as well as The D-Plan, it’s The Mitchells. - Jeffery
tinymixtapes.com



(Reprinted from babysue.com)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Pigeon Records

Most albums can be digested in a listen or two. We had to spin Hear Where You Are several times before finally coming to some conclusions about it. First, and possibly most importantly, The Mitchells don't really sound much like other bands. There are similarities, sure...but their overall approach and sound is rather unique. Second, the guys in this band sing like men. (Note that this does not mean they scream and yell and make horrible noises like many men.) Third, these guys write memorable songs and they play them with completely genuine enthusiasm. The accompanying press release gave us a hint that this would be an intriguing album, as it was recorded and mixed by Thom Monahan. Perhaps the best way to describe the band's sound would be to say that they sound something like a cross between My Dad Is Dead and The Feelies (the former because of the deep vocals and the latter because of the crazy guitars). The arrangements are particularly unusual. Instead of merely slamming out chords and playing a steady beat...these guys' music can be downright quirky and kinda jerky...slightly spastic in a nice rocking kinda mental way. Ten cuts including "Our TV Theme," "Stakeout," "Home Build Kit," and "Prefab." A credible and cool album. (Rating: 5++)
babysue.com



(Reprinted from Longhouse Poetry)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Small Batch Records

ELECTRIC SUGAR- A Review Of The Mitchells' Hear Where You Are Indie music drives me completely nuts. Bimbo lyrics for a PG-13 crowd of nerdy short-hair misfits wearing white sneakers carrying a Star Trek lunch-pail full of Elf fetishes. No thanks. The day I sit around strumming a guitar looking for inspiration from watching Taxi reruns, don't hesitate, the music is way over, turn off the lights. To say the least, rock music, and I mean ROCK music, without the goop of Sex, personality, or bold identity is, without any doubt, too boring to even, yawn, let alone cry or whisper why. And face it, the only reason why it's worked all these years is because generally, most people are fascinated by the strange days of dullness 'cuz personally, no rivalry and or exposure needs to be confronted. Don't invite me, but thanks.

If you climb any high mountain you can see with one eye the entire small river valley of Western Massachusetts which consists of a lot of scurrying noise that calls itself music and a lot of music that tries to make a lot of noise. Right, do whatcha' gotta do. Anyway, besides that twisted batch of fine people, there are still a few souls left who haven't yet been committed to the overdosed loser meltdown of "tired of living is easy to do/ love's a bitch" attitude. They are great superstars of their own local league, and with that valley and event, apprentices waiting to be crowned. So git' up Jeke, there's work to do, thank god there's still some folks that can play their instruments, too.

In their own rite, The Mitchells are a great band. I believe it so. In fact, I'd slam my bottom dollar down to see these boys perform on the Late Show on some later gig. However, when they do indeed arrive there, I might slap 'em, too, for it would immediately spoil and defeat everything their latest title releases, references and magnifies throughout their patriot spark of local Indie devotion in Hear Where You Are.

Please don't make it big, Mitchells, please don't make it big. Stay home, stay here, sensible, sensitive, heroes of the down-and-out raga with hands pointing towards the sky. Of course, let it be known, there're a thousand four-piece bands in this country alone that sound and play similar to The Mitchells and perhaps a million abroad that are shooting for the same relative angle of the sun, yet each one is shaded with the out-spoken rays of a far brighter coda of waking freedom that the hubbas chained to the great American bandstand cannot neither repent or possess.

Though, don't worry, according to Caleb Wetmore, lead singer and guitarist of the group. He seems rest-assured and relieved that The Mitchells don't, as so many do, wanna become famous, sip the martini down and pass the wet olive 'round to the next charade of frowning fools headlining under the same road-kill. Reportedly, they've been clocking a nine-year run of pack-and-go music and don't plan to rest for a hiatus, break for a curfew, nor pause for success. "Though, I can't speak for the other members", he went on to say.

La/La/Bam!/La/La/Bam!. There's an obvious amount of potential 'hits' in the tan of Hear Where You Are. It's like a spiked bowl of restaurant mints or a scent of strawberry perfume left inside some dark confession booth- hold that thought- thoroughly enjoyable no matter where you are and who you are. The record has a reservoir pitch of under a sweet forty minutes, relished with honestly, one of the best album covers to hurdle out of this clogged-up area, and enclosed with ten juicy sometimes on/sometimes off geek-pop tracks with hopefully enough three minute fire-power to have pleasured Wetmore's Indie desires, which coming from him, are the radiance of "blending guitars".

The meat of the album has been clearly carved out of all the Indie tang before them; six-string-sugar rolling right into the growling rip of all vacuum choruses and the ba-boom beat of the verse. Giddy-up. Though between Wetmore's outro-La Tengo sterile blandness within the overdubbed vocal (which are very, very shaky and poor at times), combined with the band's blood-wit refusal to be down-right boring, the music fountains, splashes and cools with a delightful significance of its own kind; however, still lacking; that premiere sense of individual influence that usually is granted from inspiration itself. Time will tell...

The ingredients of a Mitchell? Pour the following: Neo-everything Pavement ever dreamed, touched, spoke and said, meets Kim Deal swimming for the first Splash of The Breeders, meets suddenly finding The Pixies playing Flamin' Groovie covers in some old empty aquarium, meets the aquarium owned by none other than the Jesus & Mary Chain. You might say somewhat of an Ethan Hawke bag o' tea. Sip and wee.

The Mitchells will probably piss off most Fugazi hustlers and please little of the Sonic Youth amp-hawks. They belong more to a newer juvenile deliverance of righteous boys and girls who are too afraid to let their hair hang down long but are willing to sweep the rest of ours up when the wasted cabaret is over, the lights busted to the floor and the music finished and done with long ago. And for that, we thank them.

"I would never think of us as Experimental", Wetmore commented over the phone. He added, after briefing the album's three-year-in-the-making tale, post-finding a new engineer for a well deserved, edgier quality, that, "we'd love to be compared to the New Radiant Storm Kings".

What? I refuse to do this in protest. Hear Where You Are, friend, Hear Where You Are. Remember? The Mitchells need not go anywhere rather than farther into their blazing lollipop of fire in the setting sunshine. Go now! Wait for no leaders, Mitchells. My sweet lord, friends, for such a dumb-dumb name, these guys can sure rock. Whoops, did I say I hated Indie music? Maybe I do, but maybe you don't.

Hot Tracks: "Pet Theory" (beautiful hammer-whammer love. Excellent, the best thing on here), "Cheap Date" (The Mitchells loose their virginity to all of Indie in four minutes), "Our TV Theme" (first track, scissor-hand chords, slap-happy fun), "Prefab" (The Mitchells will sacrifice anything for a hot, closing chorus for their restless crowd). They love you.

--Carson Arnold- April 7, 2003 Long House Poetry



(Reprinted from Slatch.com)
The Mitchells
Hear Where You Are
Small Batch Records

The Mitchells have made an indie-rock Calder mobile, a funky balancing act that defies gravity: matching woozy, discordant guitar textures with rockingly snappy rhythms as endearingly off-kilter lyrics flit in and out of the clouds of fuzz and clang. Complex without mathy polyrhythms, atmospheric without shoegazy pretensions, "hear where you are," is a solid slab of weirdly uplifting un-pop pop. In Bizarro-indie world, this is what you’d hear banging out of car stereos this summer. - jeremy Slatch.com



(Reprinted from Demouniverse.com)
The Mitchells
3 Songs
Small Batch Records

Odd guitars clang and buzz merrily on this brief but enjoyable 3-song CD. Caleb Wetmore is a unique vocal presence, low and strangely fluid, as if he'd sucked a few Whip-Its before stepping to the mic (not that I endorse such behavior, kids). Comparisons by other reviewers to Polvo and Pavement are apt, but I don't get the Mission Of Burma references at all. On this disc, at least, The Mitchells are cool and cerebral, seemingly never in danger of flying off the handle. Which is good or not, depending on your bent, but in any event, if you're in the mood for some artful indie-pop, by all means give this one a try.


copyright 2000 Demouniverse.com



(Reprinted from Heard (Austrailian e-zine)
The Mitchells
3 Songs
Small Batch Records

A pretty cool 4 piece out of the US, whose sound is not too far removed from that of the outstanding XTC, as quite a few people I played this to remarked. That said though, the band do have their own sound & style & all 3 tracks on this CD have obviously had some good work put in.
The opener "Flashlight Hunter" & middle track "U.S.S. Macon" are both great pop tunes which seem just slightly off, but it's this that really makes them work so well & makes both tracks very addictive. The closing number "Cheap Date" is the one which eventually took the pick for me, slowing the pace somewhat & broadening the focus to include more of the instrumental. This CD is apparently from 2000, so I look forward to hearing some more great new tunes in the near future.



(Reprinted from VMag, Northampton, MA, December 2000 )
The Mitchells
3 Songs
Small Batch Records

I've been listening to this great little EP almost continuously since I got my hands on it. The Mitchells (Kayvan Darouian on guitar, Mike MacLean on drums, Bill Smith on bass and Caleb Wetmore on vocals and guitar) continue to impress. 3 Songs is only available at The Mitchells' shows. One more reason to go check out this band live. The disc includes "Flashlight Hunter," "U.S.S. Macon," and "Cheap Date." These three songs continue the sound style found on The Mitchells' '99 release, Contraption. Still a Mission of Burma meets The Smiths feel to these songs and still a major push of originality and quality that makes those lame comparisons music writers like to do irrelevant. The Mitchells are their own band and are defining a sound that is as thoughtful as it is rocking. Melodic beauty doesn't begin to describe what these guys are putting out and 3 Songs should provide the core of a solid full-length release somewhere down the road. "Flashlight Hunter" shows an intelligent pop-craftsmanship and makes it onto my personal A-list of tunes. "U.S.S. Macon" follows a similar vein, clearly harkening back to some early Peter Prescott, while remaining true to itself along the way. Wetmore's phrasing and general vocal style draws a line of listenability straight to the to the wonderful pop-complexity of the rest of the band. I continue to be impressed with the musicianship as a whole, but the guitar interplay really puts me on the edge of my seat. "Cheap Date" is a good tune. It does, however, let the listener know that this band is still in a growth stage. Wetmore strains on some notes and could do with some work on his vocal range, but this minor complaint takes nothing away from the overall quality. The Mitchells are clearly a band to keep an eye on. You can find the Mitchells at their Small Batch Records website by typing in the overly complex http://member.aol.com/MikeMac/Home.htm

Duke Aaron

copyright 2000 by VMag



(Reprinted from DisAgreement Online )
The Mitchells
"Contraption"
Small Batch Records
11-song CD

I really can't tell you very much about the Mitchells. I got their CD 'Contraption' without any information, but after only having listened once to it, it was already one of my favourite CDs. The opener 'Snowday' is a perfect example for a great Lo-Fi sound, inspired by bands like Guided by Voices. Simple melodies and song structures, but pleasant to be listened to. Cool bass hooks, relax vocals and slightly noisy guitars seem to be the secret of the success. Some songs like 'Giddy' are slower songs and may be classified as Post Rock. The album from this band from Boston has already been released in 1999. Although it isn't so new anymore, it's still tasting fresh and suitable for everyone who likes alternative stuff like Lo-Fi, Noise, Emo or Post Rock. Although the last track 'The Switch' has a every experimenting and annoying ending, this doesn't have a too big effect on my general impression about this CD. DisAgreement Online



(Reprinted from The Noise, Boston, MA, December 1999 )
The Mitchells
"Contraption"
Small Batch Records
11-song CD

From the Western, Mass. land of that mighty buffalo named Tom, comes the first full length release from The Mitchells. Heavily influenced by the likes of Bob Mould, Mission of Burma, Polvo, Tom Verlaine, The Call, and Big Country, this CD has all the trimmings of the beast that indie pop has to offer. There's so much to enjoy here, I barely know where to begin. "Snowday" is a straight ahead rocker followed by the spritely uptempo Translator-meets-Big Country romp "Tambourine," and my favorite track, "Fake Our Deaths." There's a lot of Television-esque guitar interplay throughout this record, tempered with tight pounding backbeats Malcom Travis would be pround of, balanced by Caleb Wetmore's throaty husky voice.

On the fourth song, "Giddy," the band shifts gears and gets spacey, revealing yet more layers of solid musicianship, intellectual wordplay, and pop edge one could only expect from more established bands whose names are continually dropped in only the most reverent of whispers. Other standout tracks include the garage rock-meets-surf "Zinc Yellow," the irresistably poppy "Fighting for the Good Legos" and "Sounded Like a 1-5-5," and the trippy tapeloop freakout at the end of "The Switch." Each song on this disc is so meticulously crafted with dense guitar layers, tight drums and bass, and dynamic vocals. I have no doubt this CD will be in my player for some time to come. Joel Simches

copyright 1999 by The Noise



(Reprinted from VMag, Northampton, MA, December 1999 )
The Mitchells
"Contraption"
Small Batch Records

I picked up a few discs from VMag. I walked down the street to get some coffee and like a messenger from God some brid plopped a big, dark, runny shit all over the jewel case of The Mitchells' new disc, Contraption. I guess the old adage that "everyone's a critic" is true.

Contraption is The Mitchells' (Kayvan Darouian on guitar and bass; Mike MacLean on drums and percussion; Bill Smith on bass, guitar and tape loops; Caleb Wetmore on guitar and vocals) first full-length CD. Now, I must admit to you that I wanted to get this disc and, like that wayward brid, not really like these guys. When they first formed in '94, all of a sudden there were "The Mitchells" stickers all around Amherst. Not usually a problem for me, but at the time I was playing guitar in a really bad punk band (I'll never admit who) and these guys liked to put their stickers on top of ours. Years later, here I am with a chance to be malicious and blow this disc, journalistically speaking of course, out of the water. One problem though - I like it. It's good. Oh well, at least no one can question my journalistic integrity (an oxymoron I do realize).

The Mitchells have three previous releases; "Five Minutes/Underwater" 7" single from '95, an eponymous four-song cassette from '96, and None Too Awful Bright, a 7" EP from '97. After listening to Contraption, I might just try to dig those up from somewhere.

The Mitchells have a sound that reminded me of an indie rock blend between Mission of Burma and The Smiths. The influences are pretty heavy, but don't take away from the quality or originality here. All eleven songs are good, but there are some real stand-outs that need to be highlighted. "Tambourine Jockey" comes on strong with that sparse yet rocking eighties art-rock sound: should have been in the pole position instead of following "Snowday." "Zinc Yellow" has a great, creepy bridge between verses. "Fighting For The Good Legos" has a guitar lead that is as fragile as crystal, with an undertone of edge from the rest of the band: it really caught me up in the music. "King Of Donairs" and "Sounded Like A 1-5-5," though, are the best tunes on Contraption (both have been previously released on the None Too Awful Bright EP. Good choice bringing them back for a full-length release; especially "Sounded Like A 1-5-5." Great song.

Great disc. Whoever is writing the lyrics (individual or group) has a solid future. The songs on Contraption are written with a sort of intellectual emotionalism that brings back memories of bands that were out to affect the listener, rather than just get on the radio. Imagine that. If Northampton's Small Batch Records has more like The Mitchells lined up, they'll do well. I should also mention that the production quality here is superb and it wasn't surprising that Jim Fogarty at Westfield's Zing Studios recorded the disc. I've reviewed several CD's done at Zing and they're all top-notch. For more info on The Mitchells and Contraption try http://member.aol.com/MikeMac11/Home.htm. If you happen to get the disc, watch out for that bird. Duke Aaron

copyright 1999 by VMag



(Reprinted from Music Revue, Northampton, MA, January 2000 )
The Mitchells
"Contraption"
Small Batch Records

If you've ever heard the jingle-jangle guitars and disassociated lyrics of alt-pop college radio, then you've heard the Mitchells' sound before. The arrangements are loosely strung together, with upbeat insturments gleefully playing off each other and lyrics that sound like something that might happen if Beck has a fever dream and decided to spout poetry at a coffee house. If you're into that vibe, you'll love this record. If not, you won't get past the second song.

If you do continue through the disc, there's some good stuff mixed in, though. The lyrics to "Fake Our Deaths" are worth checking out, as the band ponders what life would be like with them (supposedly) dead. They have fun with the concept, imagining "unvonfirmed sightings," much like those suffering from Post-Elvis Stress Disorder might witness. The track "Zinc Yellow" has a funky bass groove, and a very fun feel to it that's sure to make the alterna-chicks jump around. The only problem I had with Zinc was the intro, which almost made me skip the song entirely. It's a weird mix that sounds like a couple of AM radio stations overlapping for a truly annoying sound. The last song on the CD, "The Switch," has about two minutes of the same at the finish of the track.

There are, however, other interesting moments on the disc. Great song titles like "Fighting for the Good Legos" beg to be listened to and there are a few memorable instrumental bits on the disc as well. For instance, the eerie guitar riff in "Sounded Like a 1-5-5" makes it, musically, the best song on the album. The Mitchells sound like they'd be a lot of fun live, which is probably what has given them a bit of staying power locally. With unique lyrics, and musicians who clearly have potential, the band could go somewhere. But first, they need to prove they can expand on the few bass grooves and guitar hooks on this CD that keep it from being little more than one run-on song.



(Reprinted from The Noise, Boston, MA, December 1997 )
The Mitchells
"None Too Awful Bright"
Small Batch Records
3-song 7"

Let me be a little unsubtle here: INDIE, INDIE, INDIE, INDIE! This very enjoyable 3 song record comes to us just dripping with credibility. It contains everything that tweaks the nip of fanzine editors in bedrooms all over America. You got yet "formed at U-Mass. Amherst, started out in coffee houses." You got yer band members named Caleb, Kayvan, yer no chorus, drony guitar interplay, drummer kind've struggling to keep up (but in a cool way), songs with vague, deconstructed lyrics. There's even a list of likes (..rice and beans, drink tix, friendly sound people) and dislikes (dropped sticks, non owning a van, compression...) on the back cover (which I'm sure was done at Kinko's).

Seriously, what's not to like? It sounds like Polvo or old Pavement. It sounds like they're from North Carolina. There aren't any stupid "hooks" to get in the way of digging it and I fully encourage these boys to keep it up. Shit, half the time I'm not sure about compression either. I'm not going to sell this record after I review it. Corin "Where did you meet a friendly sound person?" Ashley

copyright 1997 by The Noise



(Reprinted from The Worcester Phoenix, November 14 1997 )
The Mitchells
"None Too Awful Bright"
Small Batch Records
Three-song EP

All the earmarks of a NoHo band (jingle-jangle guitars, up-front, meandering bass, and understated vocals), and sure enough these guys are based out of Amherst. Cale b Wetmore's vocals fall somewhere between the Wedding Present's Gedge and the dead guy from Joy Division. Although there's nothing groundbreaking here, this is still pretty solid swirling, nuanced indie-pop along the same lines as neighboring contemporaries New Radiant Storm King and Tizzy. All things considered, non too awful bad. In fact, pretty darn good.

copyright 1997 by The Worcester Phoenix



(Reprinted from The Springfield Republican, October 19 2006 )
The Mitchells' "Slow Gears" Has Its Turn

Always the slow moving gears remain. The above line is culled from a new song by The Mitchells and serves as the title-track of their work-in-progress CD "Slow Gears."
The Mitchells will play the Brass Cat in Easthampton on Saturday night.
"I guess we found it fitting considering the timeline of this record and our band," said Mitchells' frontman Caleb Wetmore.
He is referring to the longevity of the group and the journey towards finishing the current project, the third full-length in their catalog. Work on the CD began in the spring of 2004, a decade after the band's inception.
"I guess we have survived so long because we don't have a cut-throat approach to music as a business," said Wetmore. "The camaraderie of the band and the excitement of collaborating on a new song and performing it have always trumped the fact that we're always losing money. If you can find people you like working with, creating music can be worth all the late nights and broken gear."
The Mitchells will push to finish the work on "Slow Gears" by early 2007 and book some corresponding dates to promote the project. The band is also in the process of adapting to a changing lineup.
"Our guitar player Kayvan Darouian has moved to New York City," said Wetmore. "We decided to continue on as a trio and embrace a slightly new approach, to create slightly dissonant guitar heavy rock/pop. At least that's the thinking right now."
When it is ready, the disc will be available at a variety of sites, including themitchellsrock.com
"We wrote until October of 2005 and recorded the keepers whenever we could scrape together enough money for a night session or two at Slaughterhouse Studios," said Wetmore, explaining the process of putting the disc together. "We have recorded and released all of our projects out of our own pockets. This can cause the process to move very slowly but on the bright side I guess you could say we own our own masters."
While the Mitchells have always been favorites on the local scene, Wetmore says the band has flown largely under the radar.
"If that never changes, that is fine," he contends. "We'd like to keep building our catalog and hope to become the exciting new discovery of a few more fans each time."

copyright 2006 by the Springfield Republican



(Reprinted from The Valley Advocate, January 25, 2007 )
Mitchells Minus One - Local Quartet Goes Trio
By Gary Carra

Maybe The Mitchells received bad news about their tax returns. Or maybe they’re just assuming a defensive posture in light of the Democratic takeover in Congress and the rampant tax hikes that will surely ensue. But for the first time since the band’s inception in 1994, guitarist/vocalist Caleb Wetmore says that his band has downsized from a quartet to a trio. And, he is quick to add, “We are not actively seeking a replacement."
“Who knows?” he concludes his explanation of the decision to continue without Kayvan Darouian, who’s moving to New York City for a new job. “In the future we may chalk this trio idea up as a bad experiment. But we really didn’t want to make Kayvan commute or train someone new to play the back-catalogue.”
That said, consider the recently released full length CD, Slow Gears, to be Darouian’s recorded audio adios to the band he helped create some 13 years ago. If so, what a way to go—Gears churns out equal parts air-tight noise pop and ambient, lilting soundscapes. “When we do it live, we are not out to trick anyone into thinking we do what’s on the disc as a three-piece,” Wetmore answers before being asked the obvious question.
Plus, when The Mitchells take to the Eagle’s Nest stage in Noho this Friday, Jan. 26, Wetmore says he won’t have to worry about forming hybrid guitar lines, because Darouian is scheduled to sit in on a portion of that set.
Those planning on attending that show should arrive promptly at 9 p.m. so as to not to miss any of the great sets expected to be turned in by openers Albumen (of Albany), National Carpet (sporting a new EP of their own) and Jose Ayerve of Spouse fame.

copyright 2007 by The Valley Advocate


(Reprinted from MassLive.com, January 24, 2007 )
Grinding to a Start: The Mitchells release Slow Gears
By Kristen Beam

More than three years after the release of their splendid album Hear Where You Are, The Mitchells are back with their 2007 disc, Slow Gears. I have personally been anticipating this album for about as long as it's taken the band to get it out to the public. I recently asked lead singer and guitarist Caleb Wetmore about the evolution of Slow Gears and more generally about the band's state of the union. The band plays a release party this Friday at the Eagles Nest in Northampton.
Establishing Facts: Who are The Mitchells?

The Mitchells are a rock band from Northampton with members now spread far and wide. Caleb Wetmore (31, guitar and vocals) lives in Holyoke and works in graphic design and digital printing. Jon Herbert (26, bass) lives in South Hadley and works in IT networking. Mike MacLean (32, drums) lives in North Attleboro and is a researcher/statistician. Kayvan Darouian (31, guitar) is a recently departed member, but still an important part of Slow Gears, and a future collaborator we hope. He now lives in Manhattan and works on Wall Street.

How long have you been together as a band?

We fully formed as a 4 piece in the spring of 1994. Back then we were with our original bass player Bill Smith.

Can you talk a little bit about Kayvan's departure and how you are moving forward?

Kayvan had been living in New Haven and getting a graduate degree for two years leading up to his departure. We were sad to see him move to NYC but it wasn't a big surprise since he had been so busy in the months before. We had a band meeting where we agreed that we would continue on, but as a trio. We were/are more excited to work up new material and play it as a trio, rather than ask someone to learn Kayvan's parts and spend time getting back to where we were.
Part of our decision to attempt being a trio was influenced by the recording of Slow Gears. For about half the sessions Kayvan was so busy that we would have to track without him and then schedule a separate day for his parts. Working up those songs in the studio as a trio was a baby step towards us feeling comfortable in that format.
We were also encouraged by the memory of a show at Elevens in 2005 where we had played as a trio as a last minute favor (Kayvan couldn't make it). The feedback from the audience was very positive. With that in mind - a year later we felt encouraged to try it for real once the opportunity arose.

Tell me about Slow Gears. This album has been a long-time coming, hasn't it?

Yes it has been a long process. It all started when it looked like Jon was going to move away to take a job in San Diego. We thought it would be a good idea to document what we had to that point. It turned out that Jon didn't take the job, so there we were with half of a record (minus vocals) recorded. Over the next year and a half we wrote and recorded our way to a finished product.
Half of what took us so long is that our democratic/collaborative song writing process yields songs very slowly. Many times a member's initial idea has morphed with other input into something very different by the time it's a finished song.
The other half is that our projects are almost entirely self-funded. We get a lot of promotion and distribution help from Pigeon Records, who will be releasing Slow Gears. But there's not much funding from outside the band.

But you write most of the songs from the outset, right, before they're put to the band?

A lot of my ideas are short prototype verse & chorus guitar parts when they're presented to the band. But things are then moved around, chords are changed, sections are replaced or removed. It's a back-and-forth process of trial and error that usually yields a better song. The originating first guitar parts do not just come from me either. Kayvan and Jon have instigated their fair share of songs for the band. Since we try to get each player to write their own part, or re-construct a part written by another member as their own - the hoped for result is that we all feel embedded and natural in what we're playing. It's true I write all of the lyrics, and those always seem to be written after the guitar parts are settled. The challenge for me has been to find a melody and cadence that enhances the song - without adding clutter or droning too much.
We've all had frustrations where a certain part that we love is voted down. Or long experiments about the length of this verse or that solo. Every once in a while we all come together with ideas that blend nicely and need almost no tinkering. Those usually end up being our better ones.

What made you choose The Eagles Club for your CD release?

It has always been a fun place to play for us. The lighting and sound are really well done.

What are you planning as far as promotion of Slow Gears?

We are currently shopping between some national promotion services - attempting to reach many many more people than we did on our previous records. The world of online sales, web radio, and downloads will be our main focus. Pigeon Records will be pushing our CD through their contacts. The recent success of our various Pigeon labelmates (Dennis Cormmett, Mark Schwaber, Spouse) will be a boost to us too I think. Our disc will be for sale on CDbaby.com, Insound.com and downloadable from Itunes by the time of the show.
Our live calendar will be getting busier as we get into spring. I'm hoping to get us out on a series of short tours if our ridiculous work schedules ever let up.

What is your feeling about being a local band with local success? Are you satisfied with that or are you looking for something more?

Local success is really hard to define. If you mean filling clubs and making lots of money, then I'm not sure we can claim that. It might be that we've been a familiar name for so long that it's been harder for us to generate a lot of buzz. Or maybe we haven't worked the business side of music as hard as we should in the past. If you're talking about making good friends and fans with each new project and show, then yes I think we're successful at that.
Hopefully this CD will "energize base" as they say, and introduce us to some new ears. The plan is to be a more active live band again for sure. Since we've been semi-dormant while wrapping up the record and adjusting to the trio format.

copyright 2007 by MassLive.com


(Reprinted from CLickyClickyMusic, March 7, 2007 )
Meet The Mitchells Again For The First Time
By Jay Breitling

We find it hard to believe we've never encountered The Mitchells before, what with the band being both a long-running concern and one based in Northampton, Mass., a town in which we saw a lot of live rock and roll in the mid-'90s. But we guess stranger things have happened.
The quartet, recently downsized to a trio, formed in 1994 and is fronted by the most recent New Radiant Storm King bassist Caleb Wetmore. Unsurprisingly, there are a number of sonic parallels between The Mitchells and New Radiant Storm King (also Boston's excellent The Beatings, although for the sake of our comparison we'll concentrate on NRSK). Both acts trade in tunes that strike weighty balances between melody and discord, angularity and convention. Both acts rock.
The Mitchells' urgent "Still Might Happen" from its recently released fourth long-player Slow Gears recalls music from the most recent NRSK set The Steady Hand, maybe "Scuttled" or "Accountant Of The Year," which makes sense since that is the record Wetmore played on. We are surprised that we kind of favor Slow Gears to The Steady Hand; the former set is more taut and economical, while The Steady Hand was exceedingly glossy relative to classic early NRSK such as Rival Time. Anyhoo, based on a couple sessions with the full-album stream here, Slow Gears is stacked with great indie rock songs front to back. The way the guitar lines slither over one another at the end of "R.I." will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The Mitchells play P.A.'s Lounge in Somerville, MA Friday March 30 (that's a big weekend for music, what with the Meneguar show at Tufts the next night). Slow Gears was issued Jan. 23 on Pigeon.

Jay Breitling, copyright 2007 ClickyClickyMusic



(Reprinted from Northeast Performer, April 2007 )
The Mitchells
Slow Gears Pigeon/ Small Batch Records

In one sense, the release of The Mitchells' third full-length, Slow Gears, cements what many have known for quite some time - the group has remarkable staying power. And that power derives almost directly from their ability to deliver refreshingly consistent material - a trait they've honed for 12 straight years.
Formed in 1994, The Mitchells have put up with their fair share of independent artist woes, namely the burden of nine-to-fives, geography and, most recently, departing members. Mitchells founder and guitarist Kayvan Darouian packed his bags for The Big Apple not long ago, leaving vocalist/guitarist Caleb Wetmore, drummer Mike MacLean and bassist Jon Herbert to replicate their carefully constructed sound as a three-piece.
While the lush sounds pulsing from The Mitchells' latest release certainly point to Darouian's influence, the guys have had to jump a great many hurdles in maintaining their level of composition and popularity around their hometown of Northampton, Mass.
On the first track, "Still Might Happen," Wetmore's slightly monotone delivery perfectly mimics the minor chord tendencies of his guitar, as though both were competing to see which could sound more distraught. Coupled with Herbert's droning bass and MacLean's sedate drumming, the group sounds highly reminiscent of Boston's The Beatings, albeit with less piss-and-vinegar aplomb. The dual guitars are wonderfully placed front and center in the mix.
The third track, "Modern Travel," takes a few leaps of faith from the group's sturdy guitar foundation, but succeeds with a meaty bass line and crisp attack across the drum kit. Drunken guitar wails accompany Wetmore's gritty sing-speak style. And the compositional diversity only increases, as "R.I.," a reluctant slow-burner, gives way to a complete change of pace in the form of "For Your Winter Semi Formal" and "Lit Doorbells," both of which boast peppy guitar licks, highlighted by an outtake-style riff at the very end of the latter. The last third of the album winds down slowly from the many pinnacles offered during the heart of the work, ultimately returning to where it began.

Will Morgan, copyright 2007 Northeast Performer



(Reprinted from Local Buzz, April 2007 )
The Mitchells
Slow Gears Pigeon Records

Are you into dreamy, guitar-laden indie rock soundscapes over rolling basslines and spare, driving backbeats? If you answered yes, then I feel rather confident that you'll love the Mitchells' new LP, Slow Gears
There are times when I feel like this particular Broken Social Scene/ Death Cab for Cutie-esque vein of indie rock may be wearing a little thin, the market becoming saturated with angular, ethereal guitars and melancholy lyrics. But then I remind myself that The Mitchells - who've been around since the mid-1990s - helped pioneer this sound. And there is a reason why it has become so popular: Listening to Slow Gears reminds me that there is still a lot to love about the plaintive, world-weary sounds of the current rock scene.
Most of the songs on Slow Gears are subdued and mournful, but the sadness comes off as mature and thoughtful rather than narcissistic, and it's all tempered with celebration of life's little joys. My favorite example is "R.I.", a simple yet evocative tale of a September trip to the beach that begins with the line, "The plan was hatched/ while we watched/ the final round/ of our hometown/ demolition derby/ we'll have to get up real early".
Perhaps the demolition derby is a metaphor for the decay of modern society or something like that, but I prefer to take it at face value: as an affrimation of the enjoyment and connection to be found in life's strange, simple pleasures.

Casey Hayman, copyright 2007 Local Buzz



(Reprinted from The Noise, April 2007 )
The Mitchells
Slow Gears Pigeon/ Small Batch Records

Well, this sure put me in a slow gear. One of the first noticeable things is too many songs in the key of D one after another (am I the only person who gets loony when they hear more than two songs in the same key next to each other?) Maybe I need to chill. I listen and am aware that these guys seem to have chosen an “alternate” tuning for their guitars. The problem is that all the riffery starts sounding the same after awhile. I warn people about basing their whole band’s repertoire around open drone type tunings. I think of jazz pianist Thelonius Monk when asked if the piano had enough keys (88) or if he wanted more. He said, “It’s hard enough just to play those 88.” What it lacks in interesting harmony to my ears, it makes up for in tight production, sincere vocalizing, and a sense of community vibe in the performances.

Mike Loce, copyright 2007 The Noise



(Reprinted from ClickyClickyMusic, 3/31/07 )

It's a rare event these days that we actually go to a show where there are two bands on the bill we're interested in. But last night we had the pleasure of a twofer at PA's Lounge in Somerville, Mass., where The Mitchells and E.R. were rocking in the one and three slots respectively on a four-band bill toplined by Tom Thumb, which was playing its final show. The Mitchells, newly stripped down to a three-piece from a quartet, had started their second tune as we made the scene, and the affable trio from Western Mass. delivered a tidy set comprised mostly of cuts from its latest long player Slow Gears, which we reviewed here earlier this month.
We were struck by the steady stream of what for us would have been intensely hand-cramping chords that guitarist and singer (and, incidentally, New Radiant Storm King bassist) Caleb Wetmore uses to construct smart rock songs. The Mitchells offered up a few new tunes, too, and joked about some less-than-slick sections. But all of what we presumed to be the new material (we're not familiar with the band's back catalog at all) sounded like winners.
The highlights of the set were the memorable tracks from Slow Gears, including "Still Might Happen" and "R.I.," which we think was the set closer. The band was particularly compelling when compositions made room for drummer Mike McLean to build up a head of steam and really punch songs home. We spoke with Mr. Wetmore briefly after the performance and he says the band aims to put together a longer string of dates to support Slow Gears, which certainly deserves more attention.

copyright 2007 ClickyClickyMusic