Artist description New York’s Ambulance (LTD) is a five-piece rock band, plain and simple. Their music is anything but. Somehow they’ve thoughtfully extracted the best parts of their record collection and patched them together into something all their own: from subtle strains of 60s blues and psychedelia, to the 70s penchant for cultivated classic rock (minus the shirtless self-indulgence and "riffing"), to the shoegazing of the early 90s (without the monotony and "noodling"), to a pop sensibility spanning all decades and genres. Yes, there’s a lot going on here. But things never get convoluted. In fact, it’s more like a lesson in rock history—a fun one… minus the tests and boring stuff. All the disparate influences kinda make sense when you look at the backstory. So here’s where they’re coming from: Singer/guitarist Marcus Congleton left Oregon for New York in 1999, drummer Darren Beckett hails from Belfast, Ireland, keyboardist Andrew Haskell grew up in D.C., guitarist Benji Lysaght in L.A., and bassist Matt Dublin is a full-blooded New Yorker. They’d all played in a few other bands before meeting in NYC about 4 years ago, and they’ve been playing together ever since, recording tracks wherever they can — friend’s studios, various basements, et al. Eventually when it came time to release a record they culled together the five best recordings, and that’s what you’re holding right now in your hands. The band’s self-titled EP, scheduled for a June 3 release, is a fine way to get yourself acquainted with the band’s multiform charm. "Stay Where You Are" starts things off with sweeping vocals, smoky guitar and a melody like Manchester circa 1991. "Primitive (The Way I Treat You)" sounds not unlike indie-rock’s founding fathers slanting and enchanting with the Motown greats, and "Helmsman" is dream pop at is finest. "Heavy Lifting" starts out throbbing, keeps you begging, and smacks head-on into well-placed piano droplets with oohs-and-ahhhs so sweet your teeth will hurt. And finally, the stripped-down "Young Urban" makes you feel like, well, driving with the windows down, and/or sneaking a smoke in the summertime: light and airy like the bubbles in a cocktail. Put simply, the disc is a flawless package of cordial rock at all speeds that you’ll be humming in the shower. Promise. Hey, just because you’re from New York--and you play instruments--doesn’t mean you’re part of the garage rock explosion all the kids are talking about. In fact, sometimes you’re nothing like it at all. And that's a good thing. Ambulance (LTD) is currently recording their debut full-length in London with producer Jim Abbiss (The Music, DJ Shadow, Bjork).

Musical Influences Jesus & Mary Chain, The Beach Boys, Peter Frampton

Group Members Marcus Congleton (singer, guitarist), Benji Lysaght (guitar), Darren Beckett (drums), Matt Dublin (bass).

Location Brooklyn, NY - USA

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