Around these parts, you may know EWEB as the Eugene Water & Electric Board, or the place you throw cash every three months in exchange for your house’s water and electricity. Five of Eugene’s most technically skilled sonic fanatics are changing the way we see the acronym with their killer new project. With jams that wail and experimental moments that throw listeners for a loop, the band EWEB — The Eugene Water and Electric Band — is without a doubt the hottest five piece the scene has seen for quite some time, and the boys hold up to the electric energy of their name in every aspect.
With Jack Carek on lead vocals, splitting duties with shredder Sam Mondros on guitar and keys, Tate Iverson and Ben Sickler holding down the rhythm section on bass and drums and Joey Schechter laying down some heat on tenor sax, these guys boast a sound hotter than the scorching Eugene summer the five piece made their debut in. With only a humble handful of absolutely wild shows under their belts and their first track “Wasted Days” — out as of June 25th — hot off the press, EWEB no doubt started with a bang and are only just on the rise of their reign.
The start of the group happened by chance; but, at the same time, its roots were planted long before any member knew what was coming next. Sickler, Iverson and Mondros met their freshman year here at UO, jamming occasionally. But it wasn’t until all five of the EWEB guys found themselves on the corner of 13th and Patterson at the Sandlot this past year that a groove was set into motion.
Once the original trio crossed paths with Carek and Schechter, the five formed EWEB, and the rest was history. The guys couldn’t have done it without its pals over at the Sandlot, the band recalls, explaining that the place was the biome of their chemistry as musicians.
“Everyone has a step above the other person in some way shape or form and everyone’s better than someone at something,” Mondros said. “And that’s what makes it work.”
By citing examples of the unique bits of back and forth between each member, Mondros radiates a sense of excitement about their personal growth since coming together as a unit. Schechter chimed in and said, “Being around the guys has made me into a much more formidable improviser compared to when we started jamming; They kind of turned me into a jammer.”
Sickler said, “I think that’s somewhat true for all of us, just getting better at improvisation, communicating with each other without speaking, eye contact and mimicking each other while we’re playing. We challenge each other.”
The group’s dense and ultra different sound has already gained them a hefty buzz amongst the community, which is massively impressive for a band barely two months old. Their debut show recently closed out the month of May, and each show since stays packed to the brim.
The new single, “Wasted Days,” is surely no wasted time for the listener or the band. This track was recorded in a little over a week and a half, the guys recall. The guys attribute that brevity to the fact that the practiced playing it live and found its quirks before taping began. Although song writing doesn’t always slice up evenly, the band recalls that “Wasted Days” was an even split amongst every member, giving the listener a totally organic piece of EWEB from the get go.
On this new release, Iverson throws down a hefty bass line that’s picked up by Sickler’s jazzy percussion, starting out the track all nice and soupy and thick. When the lyrics finally enter, the fuzz that sits over Carek’s smooth vocals creates a nice atmosphere for every instrumental layer to live in — giving each facet its own space, while still keeping the natural connection between each of them.
The track rolls so smoothly, with every member of EWEB getting thrown into the spotlight in moments. As it all comes to what feels like a close, Schechter carries us away on a tenor sax outro, smoother and heartier than anything we’ve heard since the Herbie Flowers’ moment of heat on “Walk on The Wild Side.” This song keeps us focused, it carries us away and, most importantly, it isn’t your ultra predictable, self reflective dirge of unrequited love. With lyrics giving us a story that can be followed, EWEB takes us back to rock that tells a tale. Flashes of lighting, the bustle of trains, pinstripes, concrete — real physical markers in a song — are totally refreshing.
The guys credit a big chunk of their inspiration from the early days of jamming until now: from modern day heavy lifters like Black Midi, to old fashioned jam band greats like Phish and, most of all, progressive rock room shakers like King Crimson. In this track, listeners can pick up on the total amalgamation of all these sounds.
Musical influences aside, what the band say it has enjoyed most since the start of EWEB is the connection with creatives from every corner of the Eugene community. The guys put a huge emphasis on collaboration and those who act as a support system for the band so early in its career.
There is surely more from EWEB than just “Wasted Days”, as the guys prove to be the band to watch out for as shows come back with a bang. So, when you pay that next electric bill of yours for your crusty, dusty, Eugene rental, think of the new guys around the block and keep an eye and an ear out for more galvanizing work by The Eugene Water and Electric Band.
