From the first notes of "Tell the Teacher," the track that opens the self-tilted debut from Northern California’s Low Stars, the listener is catapulted back 30 years, to a time when pop music prized organic harmonies and acoustic guitars: straightforward, stripped-down music, full of emotion and down-home energy. The album, which is released this week at Starbucks locations across the country, is the result of four friends and musicians from different backgrounds who came together because this was the music they wanted to make. All the band members play guitar and all sing on the record.
"We wanted that acoustic-guitar ‘army,’ that big sound, while keeping the vocal harmonies," says Chris Seefried, one of the members of Low Stars. "This record took time to make, because we wanted it perfect."
The band members have had success in their own right.
Seefried, who hails from New York City, was the lead singer of the band God’s Child; he has toured with legends like Roseanne Cash and has scored music for hit television shows like HBO’s Six Feet Under. Guitarist—and Long Island native—Jeff Russo, the former lead guitarist and co-songwriter for platinum rock band Tonic, enjoyed huge success with top 10 hits "If You Could Only See," Open Up Your Eyes" and "You Wanted More." Russo is excited about the music he is making with Low Stars, and says the departure from major-label control is refreshing.
"You just give up so much [working for a major label]," says Russo. "The first chance I got, I went running from that. I was involved in that world for 12 years.
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The band also includes eccentric poet and musician Jude, whose recent album, Redemption, was released to critical acclaim. Jude began to make a name for himself after writing the song "I Know" for the film City of Angels, and has also written for shows Alias and Lost, The O.C.
and Everwood. Low Stars is rounded out by Dave Gibbs, a founding member of Gigolo Ants, who has also worked on major films such as Mr. Deeds and Josie and the Pussycats.
Two years ago, Gibbs was set to play his annual benefit at the well-known Los Angeles folk room Hotel Café. Seefried was booked to play, and Jude was a last minute addition. After the gig, conversation rolled, and the three thought it would be a good move to start playing music together.
Seefried called Russo, with whom he was already playing in another band, and the four eventually got together on Russo’s porch in Laurel Canyon. The jam lasted into the night, and the four knew something was there.
"We felt it from the beginning," says Seefried.
"We were anxious to record some music after that."
The recording process took some time. Seefried says they laid down tracks in several places.
Acoustic guitars explode on the record, and each player’s different technique and background played a major role in its sound. "We all have different strengths, and that is what attracted us to each other," says Seefried.
The process was freeing, says Russo.
"When I was making records for a major label, there was always this attitude of, ‘What’s the next hit?’; ‘What are we going to put on this record that will help sell?’ We didn’t have any of that [with Low Stars].
There was nobody expecting certain things from us. We were just making music we all love. That is so important to me.
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"Even though it’s all new music, it does sound like it’s been around awhile," says Seefried. "We basically came together and formed a chord, and it is a nice, beautiful chord. It really describes how we came together.
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