Page 5 upcoming appearances:
upcoming DATE RESCHEDULE:
stratocruiser presents:
40th Anniversary
Tribute to Led Zeppelin IV
multiple Special Guests/Bands
The Clubhouse- Greensboro
Page 6 news and reviews
strato news archive 2003- 2005.docx
from Independent Weekly
Stratocruiser The Spark
Stratocruiser isn't going for style points. That's certainly not to say their mix of bar-band rock and power pop isn't competent; rather, The Spark is as crisply recorded and executed as any of their '70s rock radio influences. But they haven't been trying to impress or innovate, especially in the past. The lack of solos comes compensated by a no-frills, big-hooks mentality that keeps pretense in check.
Stratocruiser's fourth album successfully highlights more nascent psych influences that augment the ringing jangle pop and glammy hard pop of antecedents such as Badfinger and Cheap Trick. Evident in washes of distortion and swirls of guitar, these newer elements add space and depth to their otherwise driving, straight-ahead songs, producing their most arresting music to date. Elsewhere, a few fine, short instrumental interludes add further spice to the album's lyrical arc of obsessive madness. The story imbues a certain flow, and some songs feel stronger for their placement within it, such as the creeping menace of psychedelic blues boogie "Slush," the rising folk-pop exultation of stealing "Somebody's Girlfriend," and the punchy resolution, "Living in the Future Tense." Stratocruiser has always been solid, but this greater eclecticism, increase in musical detail and the overarching conceptual conceit have taken the band from erudite to exciting.
from powerpopaholic.com
Stratocruiser The Spark
After a series of EPs and successful KickStarter campaign, North Carolinas Stratocruiser is back with its ringing guitars and Cheap Trick meets Kiss inspired approach. Opening with the title track, it reflects the rock aesthetic from the Thin Lizzy Jailbreak era with an inspired rhythm guitar arrangement. Adult Situation is great power ballad with big chord shifts and Clay Howards strong lead vocal. The band is much looser than previous releases, as the heavy prog-rock composition Slush lets its Black Sabbath influences out in the open. Somebodys Girlfriend is a another standout, with Mike Nicolson doing a great job on multiple instruments. Matt Browns drumming and percussion are just as forceful. As with any vanity project, a few indulgences like the rock instrumental Possession are expected. Earlier singles like Best Actress standout against the heavier stuff here, and it looks like the pop side has taken a back seat to cowbell-heavy rock like on Start Finishing. As a bonus, power pop icon Robbie Rist contributes his guitar solo to the fast paced Indian Summer. Overall a great driving album to blast on the car stereo with the windows down. No real duds or filler here either, so its really a gift to fans who love melodic rock with a capital R.
Press Sticker Since their first slice of recorded output on 2001 's Pop Under The Surface Volume 4, a compilation of power pop artists released by Zip Records and Yesterday Girl Records of Sweden. Stratocruiser has grown from a one-off side project Into a full-scale touring band.
Prolific In the extreme, Stratocrulser have released fo ur full length CD's, a best of compilation, a live CO and almost countless singles,digital releases, tribute CO tracks and even a vinyl 45.
Making their live debut after the re lease of their 2nd CD, Suburban Contemporary, Stratocruiser has gone on to play hundreds of shows not only around their native North Carolina, but in ma/"or music markets like New York,. the Jersey shore, Atlanta, Nashville and more.
Stratocruiser has toured as support act for the semina English pop/rock band World Party as well as Howlln' Rain, Urge Overki ll, The Upper Crust. The Stills, Michel le Malone, Colormuslc, LezZeppelln, Nantucket and more.
Because they play very loud pop music with guitars up front and vocal harmonies supporting strong lead vocals, Stratocruiser Is often compared to Cheap Trick (and make no mistake, Stratocrulser Is flattered by the comparison!), but also are compared to artists as disparate as the Byrds and Black Sabbath(!) .•. Badfinger and Deep Purple. As odd as some of those comparisons seem to be, all of those artists certainly fill up the Stratocrulser Influence bucket, but Stratocrulser sound like none of them directly. It is safe to say the band
takes Its Inspiration f rom great rock and roll made from the mid 1960's to the early 1980's but the band can appeal to fans of many genres and sub-genres of music.
October 1 1, 2011 wi ll see the re lease ofStratocrulser's brand new 13 song CO, The Spark. The Spark is a song cycle focusing on the subject matter of unrequited love, obsession, rejection and ultimately the onset of madness. The Spark Is loaded to the brim with skilled writing, sharp playing and Impassioned vocals.
Bands we have shared the stage with: World Party Urge Overkill The Shazam Nantucket Colormusic Howlin' Rain Lez Zeppelin many more...
