From the Dorks' Soundtrack: A Delta Blues Revival?

Two Gallants

Album: The Throes

Song: You Losin' Out

As the ComicDorkscast episodes continue their climb in number, the more bands are also introduced. What is surprising is that week after week, I find bands that absolutely must be talked about. This week, we head to the indie rock duo from San Francisco known as Two Gallants, sharing the name of a James Joyce short story. This band is composed of Adam Stephens (guitar, harmonica, vocals) and Tyson Vogel (drums and vocals). The band formed in 2002 when both musicians were 20 years old. Prior to Two Gallants, Stephens and Vogel had been playing and writing music since they were twelve. They even self-produced two albums before their debut, but those albums are regrettably out of print. The Two Gallants first shows were played in parks, warehouses, house parties and other small “venues”. In 2004, Two Gallants came out with their first album The Throes. With this album came larger venues, clubs and even festivals. Two years later they put out their second studio album, What the Toll Tells. They kept the music coming and one year later came out with their third and recent album, Two Gallants. By this time the band had gained substantial notoriety and began to play festivals not only in the US but also in Canada and Europe. The band also gained music press attention for an incident at a performance in Houston, Texas, when a police officer investigating a noise complaint at the club Walter's on Washington allegedly attacked the band and several fans present with a taser…. Oh Texas. Despite the taser attack, Two Gallants have gone on to produce some of the most jaw-dropping blues heard in American music today. When listening to Two Gallants you can’t help but be drawn to the roots of rock, delta blues. You can almost feel Robert Johnson or John Lee Hooker on guitar. In tangent with this powerful music medium, the chord structure and finger picking style also creates a folk feel. These two genres mixed together create some the most unique and “true” music heard today. If you enjoy this band then I hope you follow them to their roots and discover what the grandfathers of music have to offer.

Albums:

The Throes (2004)

What the Toll Tells (2006)

Two Gallants (2007)

**Picture above - John Lee Hooker... Nice Socks! Enjoy!**