“Goin’ Nowhere” from recent demos
Audio File
With a boozy mix of power-pop, blues-inflected garage-rock, and the shabbiest bits of British Invasion riffery, local quintet Tiny Montgomery began in 2004 as an acoustic duo comprised of singer/harmonica player David Vincent and guitarist Greg Corbett. They gradually expanded into a fully-realized ensemble along with the rhythm section of drummer Chris Arivette and bassist Brian Canady.
“Greg and I started out just doing it as a guitar and harmonica duo, playing little gigs and open mic nights,” says Vincent. “We were writing our songs and sitting in with drummers and other players who found our tunes kinda catchy. We ended up getting it together in time to play at Johnny Ola’s. That experience helped catapult us a bit.”
After Corbett left Charleston, the band solidified the lineup with guitarists Dallas Ward and Chadd Hamilton. The group’s new eight-song demo swings with an early Stones-style grooviness and New York Dolls-style swagger.
Lo-fi and devoid of frills, the collection has its own snarly personality. “Dancin’ with the Lady” is a nasty three-chord shuffle propelled by fuzz-wah guitar tones and Vincent’s accented howl and percussive harp work. “Goin’ Nowhere” could easily have been a side-two track on the Stones or Modern Lovers album circa 1974. If the power chords of the more anthemic “This Disease” were a little less in tune, they might be mistaken for those of Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers. The singer sounds sneaky and desperate on the more jangly pop of “Deny It.”
“There are a lot of bands in this town, but I feel that we’re kind of unique,” says Vincent. “You don’t hear a lot of bands doing this kind of rock ‘n’ roll very much.”
Tiny Montgomery performs at A Dough Re Mi (1220 Ben Sawyer Blvd., (843) 881-6989) at 9 p.m. on Fri. Jan. 25. Admission is $5. Visit myspace.com/tinymontgomery and www.adoughremi.com for more.
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