A mile high and rising: CO bands on the climb

Hawks of Paradise

Written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)
Photo by Ryan Martin
(martiry@mscd.edu)

There’s good logic to Hawks of Paradise’s moniker. They are a band whose tempo, at a moment’s notice, takes flight straight up into a heavenly ’60s freak-out climax, only to have the band’s direction downshift into droning garage rock and Lou Reed-like apathy. Then, effortlessly, they soar once more, flying high with a sense of sheer, grinding, electric urgency until they reach a splintering crescendo, thick with Vox organ psychedelia. It’s the kind of music that makes you tired in a fine and emotional sense. Currently opening venues for acts such as garage rock brethren The Omens and The Swayback, the Hawks are one of those “watch out” bands that are likely to rise above the rest very soon. In the meantime, take flight with the Hawks March 17 when they open up for weirdo folk trio Akron/Family at the Oriental Theater.

Drag the River

Written by Matt pusatory
(mpusator@mscd.edu)

Drag The River is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets. Formed in Ft. Collins in 1996, the band has been making music for more than a decade. With the recent release of Bad at Breaking Up, they show no signs of slowing down. The title itself could serve as an indication. The band’s sweet blend of punk roots and country twang put Drag The River in the company of bands like Lucero and Drive-By Truckers. The group is still touring and will be hitting the East Coast this spring with a return to Colorado in the summer. Drag The River has been working hard and plans on releasing more singles later this year. If alt-country is your bag, Drag The River has damn near perfected the genre, and carved themselves a nice little niche in the Mile High City’s music scene along the way.