Led by Izzy The Gent, the Bay Area-based Everything But The Everything continues to deliver fresh-sounding alt-punk vibes. Their new 7-inch A&B Sides Volume Two will be out on June 27.
The co-conspirators that make up Everything But The Everything are vocalist Sophia Prise, guitarist Ian Dowd (Fire In The Hamptons, JonBenet Stranglehold), drummer Chad Roxxit (The Hot Takes, Chad and Scott), and Izzy The Gent (JonBenet Stranglehold, The Frail, The Cons, Fake Your Own Death) on bass (and everything else). Stream it here: A & B Sides Vol. Two featuring Sophia Prise!!! (show.co)
The dual single-release A&B Sides Vol. Two delivers two edgy and melodic alt-punk tracks, “Hotshot” and “Salt,” produced by Rex Shelverton (Vue and Tamaryn). Izzy The Gent shares, “The first day in the studio with Rex, I showed up with a $99 Casio keyboard and played stock grand piano sounds. Rex didn’t bat an eye. He put the cheap keyboard through his vintage equipment and got it to vibe.”
“Hotshot” has a new wave-inspired feel that showcases the emotional depth in Prise’s vocals. “When Sophia came up with the vocal melody, she said, ‘We got this last-minute song to add to our set,’ and what do I do? I come up with the wordiest melody with no space for a breath a singer could come up with instead of something simple and safe,” says Izzy. Sophia adds, “If someone betrays you or leaves you high and dry, this song’s answer is to get in your mental classic convertible and drive away on the high road (with the top down). How insignificant they now seem as the wind blows through your hair and they shrink in the distance. One last sneer into the rearview mirror, then the sun gets into your eyes and in a blink they’re gone”.
“Salt” blends punk rock rawness with pop polish and melody. Izzy explains, “I wanted to replace a song on our setlist. I really liked the energy of ‘Salt’ in its demo form. With two scheduled rehearsals before the show, I said to everyone, ‘learn the song, and let’s get in there and knock it out.’ A few days before our scheduled rehearsal, I called Sophia and asked how her vocal melodies and lyrics were coming along. She replied, ‘I think I got it.’ When we got in the rehearsal space and I heard her sing the chorus, I knew we had something extra special.” Sophie adds, “Sometimes a relationship can sour into a power struggle…. this song looks for when and where one person brought the salt first. This song is kinda calling out that approach and naming it weak. The mood is peppy, like oh yeah, it IS fun having the guts to walk away when someone is being duplicitous and disingenuous but still trying to keep me on a string. I feel like the closing of the final chorus sounds like musical laughter and a door shut in their face”.
A&B Sides Vol. Two is a testament to the band’s collective creativity, progression, and passion for music. Whether they are delivering a punk anthem or a haunting ballad, they convey a wide range of emotions with authenticity, backed by solid musicianship and a good time.
THOUGHTS WORDS ACTION 