Adam Perry - Vocals, Guitar
Rod Kippes - Guitars
Bobby Wheeler - Bass, Vocals
John Brink - Drums
Arizona, the debut full-length from Seattle's Cave 76, is an intensely personal and powerful record. Bitter break-ups, broken hearts and internal conflicts shape the feel of these well crafted tunes.
Cave 76's story began over ten years ago, when Adam Perry and Rod Kippes first met. They instantly realized they shared the same interests and ideas in music, and began writing music together. Around this time they befriended John Brink and Bobby Wheeler. The seeds of Cave 76 were sown.
Since then, all four have played in bands around Seattle, more than a few times playing together in the same band, and always sharing the stage with each other's bands. Some of the more prominent bands were Feed, Old Man, Cannibal Bus, and So Long. Sadly, Cave 76 has been on a permanent hiatus since late 2002.
MusicEmissions.com - Dennis Scanland
Cave 76 has been around the Seattle area for a number of years and first stepped foot into a studio back in 1995. They recorded a demo with the production help of Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, Built To Spill) and were able to gig around Seattle and area on the strength of that demo. Fast forward to 2002: Arizona (the bands debut full-length) has just been released and stuck with production duties again is none other than Phil Ek. They album has a trashy sound similar to that of White Stripes only a little more refined. Cave 76 play music that is easily to listen to although they reach into the wings for some trashy moments. Don't confuse Cave 76 with punk rock. The band may be a little rough around the edges but there are very little punk influences involved. Jason Hughes, owner of Sonic Boom Recordings has done us a favour by releasing Arizona. There is pop and rock influences at play to give Cave 76 quite a unique sound that many will appreciate.
planetarygroup
"Arizona packs a happy-go-lucky punch, with crunchy guitar hooks and just about everything that constitutes a good time in a plastic case. It captures everything blissfully escapist and simultaneously energetic and youthful about the summer, your friends or just life in general. Produced by the highly-esteemed Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse) it's got a killer jumping-into-a-lake-as-the-sun-sets feel with rough lo-fi undertones chasing after a travelling syncopational aestethic of oohs and ahhs in the vein of Weezer or Convoy. Don't pass this one up, it loves you."
Geekamerica.com
Grade: A
Sonic Boom proves itself once again to be an important entity in the Seattle music scene with Cave 76's full length "Arizona". Run out of a record store of the same name, this label also released the "Something About Airplanes" Death Cab For Cutie LP as well as other progressive Seattle rock artists releases. The newest addition is a great upbeat rock and roll record that sounds as if it has heavy Elvis Costello influences. Perhaps throw in a bit of Spoon to the mix and you've got the idea. Well written, well produced and well performed "Arizona" is one of the best rock records yet of 2002. (CS)
