The Sundresses

The Sundresses

Audio

Biography

If there were a punk band in the swing era of American music The Sundresses would be that band...but more than that.  Cincinnati music writer, Brian Baker describes them as "sex and drugs and a double shot of my baby's Rock and Roll. They are the hangman, the rope, the trap door and the drop. They are the past, present, future and apocolypse of Rock and the Blues and Punk."    Formed in 2002 in Cincinnati as a joke, the band had its first show booked before its first practice, and The Sundresses have been freaking out people ever since. In 2003 the band self-produced a full-length album, The Only Tourist In Town, for their friends in the Ohio River Valley. To their surprise, not only did people at home want to hear, but lots of other people wanted a listen as well. In fact, this bands ninth out of town show was South By Southwest 2004.  Then they played SXSW 2005.  And SXSW 2006.  And SXSW 2007.  At that point gas started getting really expensive and they needed a new record.That new record was a 15-song indictment of the world during the Bush Era they titled "Barkinghaus".  With the help of a music company they helped found, called The All Night Party, the record went on to win Cincinnati's Album of the year in 2008.The Sundresses have performed in cities and towns from the Rockies of Colorado to the nor' easters of Maine, and most points in between. The Sundresses are three people, but they are two drummers, two singers, two guitar players and one fine-ass swinging and stomping five-foot-tall bass player they call "Mayor".  The Sundresses put on a live show unlike any other. No fire, no auto tune, just three highly intuitive musicians with really loud amplifiers and drums and voices singing loud words loudly. People dance to their music, like for real dance.  It's awesome.Their most recent release, SUNDRESSES OFF (2010), is ear-blistering evidence of said live performances.  It's a download product cleverly packaged as a vinyl record packed with handmade artworks, matching CD, and a website where those who buy the album get more live stuff as time goes on.  The Sundresses have reinvented the LIVE album and revamped it as a "living" record showcasing how this band has been ahead of the curve for almost a decade now with no signs of letting up.  With four consecutive SXSW's performed, 3 full-length albums, multiple awards, many women swooned, and assortment of releases, and many hands shook, the Sundresses have been relentless pioneers of a New Age in music while most bands are still doing their homework.The Sundresses have played with shit tons of bands, too many to remember.  No doubt you've heard of a lot of them.  But until you've heard The Sundresses, you haven't heard much at all.