Nothing more aptly describes Dirty Sweet as a band than the moniker they go by. Steeped in the lore of classic rock, Dirty Sweet definitely has their roots planted in the music of yesteryear. But what set's the band apart from so many other "throwback" acts, is the group's ability to be so diverse in it's song writing. Never sounding contrived or derivative, there's something pleasingly familiar yet fresh, distinct, and catchy-as-hell about every song.
Forming back in the Fall of 2003, Dirty Sweet began it's career wowing crowds as the main support on a sold-out Jimmy Eat World tour. Since then, the band has slayed countless audiences in their hometown of San Diego and up the West Coast. Recognized early-on by NME as a band on the rise, the group went on to win the coveted San Diego Music Awards 'Best Rock' act, as well as performing at the ceremony itself.
In the summer of 2006, bassist Shaun Cornell enlisted the rest of the band to aid him in the construction on his new recording studio, Blue Roof Studios. Eager to put their ideas to tape, the fivesome were cutting drum tracks in the newly completed 'Studio B', even as the paint was drying. For the next 2 1/2 weeks, Dirty Sweet maintained a rigorous recording regiment. Out of these sessions, came the 12 songs that would make-up "...Of Monarchs and Beggars", the groups first long-player. Produced and engineered by the band them selves, the album rivals many records afforded the luxuries that only a major-label budget can provide.
...Of Monarchs and Beggars possesses such song-to-song diversity, it's easy to believe that just about anybody could love it. "Baby Come Home", the album's fiery opener, jumps right into a head-bopping groove so infectious, you can't help but move a little in your seat; once the chorus hits, you'll be singing it for days. Fan favorites "Isabelle" and "Delilah", appeal to the 'everyman' with their singable narrative depicting love and loss from both sides of the spectrum. For those with a taste for the heavy, there's; "Born to Bleed", the riff-tastic rocker recounting the woes of a psych-ward patient and, "Red River", the album's closer, an epic battle chant that crescendos into all-out war.
As impressive as their debut CD is, it's under the bright lights of the stage that these boys really shine. The dynamic rhythm section of Shaun Cornell (Bass) and Chris Mendez-Vanacore (Drums) shakes, rattles, n' rolls like a freight train fueled by conductor Ryan Koontz's (Vocals) soulful howl, while stowaways Nathan Beale (Guitar) and Mark Murino (Guitar) blast roman-candle-riffs into the night sky. Watching the band perform is not unlike standing too close to the tracks.
Having just recently completed a highly successful residency at LA's famed Viper Room and a West Coast tour, it seems like the buzz is about to build into a frenzy. 2007 promises to be a good year for Dirty Sweet...
