Downtown Boys (band)
Downtown Boys | |
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![]() Downtown Boys performing in May 2019 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Providence, Rhode Island, United States |
Genres | Punk rock |
Years active | 2012–present |
Labels | |
Members |
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Past members |
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Downtown Boys are an American punk rock band formed in 2011 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. They have received press coverage in Rolling Stone,[1] The New Yorker[2] and Spin.[3]
History
Downtown Boys formed after What Cheer? Brigade tubaist Joey La Neve DeFrancesco met vocalist Victoria Ruiz while working at the Renaissance Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island.[4] DeFrancesco famously quit the hotel by handing in his letter of resignation accompanied by his What Cheer? bandmates. The footage of the resignation went viral.[5][6][7]
In 2014, the band released a 7" single on Washington D.C.-based Sister Polygon Records[8] to wide acclaim.[9][10] Downtown Boys released second LP, Full Communism, on Don Giovanni Records on May 5, 2015.[11][12] The album's lead single, "Monstro", drew critical attention from Pitchfork,[13] Stereogum,[14] and the broader music press. Rachel Brodsky of Spin wrote of the single: "Bravely combating, as their press release reads, 'the prison-industrial complex, racism, queerphobia, capitalism, fascism, boredom, and all things people use to try to close our minds, eyes and hearts,' Downtown Boys do what their finest punk-rock forefathers did before them: challenge long-held ideas."[3]
The group performed on news show Democracy Now! and was interviewed by host Amy Goodman.[15]
Rolling Stone featured the group and dubbed them "America's Most Exciting Punk Band".[1]
The New Yorker described the group's live performances, noting that "[t]he tracks speed by with hardcore kineticism, but Ruiz’s lyrics squeeze your hand through the pit: she’s lucid and blunt, celebrating cops, traders, and any other impediment to justice that she can spot. There’s something distinctly post-punk about the Boys, ... [i]t could be the saxophone, but it’s probably the spirit."[2]
In 2015, Ruiz and DeFrancesco launched the online magazine Spark Mag in collaboration with grassroots advocacy group Demand Progress.[16] The site aims to feature underground and radical artists and connect fans to organizing work.[17]
In 2017, the band released their third LP Cost of Living on Sub Pop Records.[18]
The band composed the original music for the biographical film Miss Marx (2020) by Italian director Susanna Nicchiarelli.
Discography
- Downtown Boys (cass/cd/dl), 2012
- Downtown Boys EP (ltd 7"/dl) Sister Polygon Records, 2014
- Full Communism (cd/lp/dl) Don Giovanni Records, 2015
- Cost of Living Sub Pop Records, 2017
References
- ^ a b "Downtown Boys: Meet America's Most Exciting Punk Band". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ^ a b "Goings On About Town". No. February 29, 2016. The New Yorker/Condé Nast. p. 4. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- ^ a b Brodsky, Rachel. "Stream Downtown Boys' Thrashing Feminist Anthem, 'Monstro'". Spin Magazine. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Exposito, Suzy. "Wonder Twins of the Working Class: Downtown Boys' Victoria Ruiz and Joey De Francesco". Impose Magazine. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Grinberg, Emanuella. "'Joey' becomes recession hero after using marching band to quit job". CNN. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Schwabel, Dan. "Why the 'Joey Quits' Video Is A Seriously Bad Career Move". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Jamieson, Dave. "Joey Quits: Hotel Worker Tells Story Behind Viral Resignation Video". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Sister Polygon Records — Downtown Boys". sisterpolygonrecords.bigcartel.com. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon. "15 Great Albums You Didn't Hear in 2014". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Ozzi, Dan. "DOWNTOWN BOYS' NEW VIDEO MAKES SMASHING THE POLICE STATE FUN". Vice Media. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Downtown Boys - Full Communism (Don Giovanni ) | Punknews.org". punknews.org. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Downtown Boys - Full Communism pre-orders! | Don Giovanni Records". dongiovannirecords.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Powell, Mike. "Downtown Boys' Monstro". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ White, Caitlin. "Downtown Boys – "Monstro"". Stereogum. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Downtown Boys: "America's Most Exciting Punk Band" Performs & Discusses Making Change Through Music". Democracy Now!. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
- ^ "Members Of Downtown Boys Launch Radical Arts Webzine". Stereogum. 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
- ^ "Downtown Boys: The Best of What's Next". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
- ^ Records, Sub Pop. "Downtown Boys". Sub Pop Records. Retrieved 2017-07-03.