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Set For Life    |    Secrets
 

 

“Wow!  I know it's only April, but I can't imagine hearing a better album this year! You guys really nailed it. Great songs, mammoth production – it sounds like you mean it. "Set For Life" is what us pop and rock geeks live for. Can't wait for Nancy to hear this. Fabulous vocal performances; love the guitar work! I'd have to say it's the most enjoyable forty-five minutes and fifty-two seconds I've spent since ... let's just say it wasn't listening to music. You rock! You rule! Hope all is well in the Villa camp. Looking forward to getting together soon, just to hang and have dinner. Thanks so much for sending it along.” Richard X. Heyman (NYC)

"... a pop rock masterpiece."
Neil Hever, Program Director, WDIY-FM (Bethlehem, PA)

"Villas ... "Way To Go" ... I love this track!"
Ira Gordon, Program Director, KBAC (Santa Fe, NM)

"... melodic, insanely catchy pop-rock." Carrie Havranek, Lehigh Valley Magazine (Bethlehem, PA) Lehigh Valley Magazine.com

" ... power pop, hemi-powered by punk."
Geoff Gehman, The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)

" ... a firm commitment to songwriting and a desire for honest expression a la Johnny and June Carter Cash." Gerald Bergen, The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)

"A really neat rock album ... cool songs ... and an original inventiveness that is steadfastly planted in the present; a combination which bodes well for the future of this band." Jamie O'Brien, Irish Edition (Wyndmoor, PA)

"Wow! FAB! I LOVE the Villas CD! Sounds like POP to me!"
Peter Noone, Herman's Hermits (Santa Barbara, CA)

"It's a lovely CD, we spin it often."
Ed Stasium
, producer: Ramones/Smithereens/Soul Asylum (Bayfield, CO)

"Just Brilliant!"
Lisa Mychols, Lisa Mychols Website (Long Beach, CA)

" ... fine, Beatles-based power pop."
Matt Smith, Metro (Philadelphia, PA)

"The Villas have gotten a taste of the big time, and they would like some more, thank you. John Terlesky, The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)

"Boasting hooks-a-plenty, The Villas new album, Set For Life, has been garnering lots of airplay and critical kudos thanks to a reliable melodic rock sound that’s immediately engaging and instantly accessible. Set For Life is one of those albums that grabs its listeners with only one hearing; it’s catchy and snappy with concise choruses that are all but irresistible. “Way to Go,” “Personal Property,” “Tell Me Everything You Know,” “Exclusions” and “Toppers” would sound right at home on the radio, since they sound like the kind of songs that seem like they’ve been around forever. In fact, if their well-deserved accolades continue, the title The Villas have chosen for their album may indeed come true." Lee Zimmerman, South Florida's Entertainment News & Views (Miami, FL)

"The Villas know how to rock it, in true 'Back in Black' fashion." Monica Ortwein, Pulse Weekly (Allentown, PA)

"... a top notch pop rock album a CD player wouldn't easily give up."
-George Wacker, The Allentown Times (Allentown. PA)

"Set For Life finds The Villas serving up the rock in much larger doses than on their debut ... 'Way To Go' and 'Exclusions' are brimming with attitude and careening guitar riffs and I say hurray." John Borack, Amplifier (Boston, MA)

"It always is a sign of true craftsmanship whenever the emotion and sentiment remain high even at a lower volume. Bill and Angie are just as good rocking with their electric guitars ("Way to Go," the album's terrific, punchy opener, an affectionate nod to the Kingsmen hit, "Louie Louie"), as they are strumming their acoustics on "Now It Can Be Told" and "To Be In Love." Chris M. Junior, DIY Reporter.com (Rahway, NJ)

"When the news came my way that Bill and Angie Villa had finally put together the followup to their excellent debut, Secrets, I got pretty excited. While I waited for it to arrive, the inevitable second thoughts crept in. It had been three years. Would they mess with success? Had they caught some new trend and abandoned their wonderfully crafted pop formula? Could lightning strike twice? Well, they're not the same group they were three years ago. They're better. Sure, Bill Villa is still writing tight pop nuggets filtered through a grown-up sensibility, Angie Villa is still cranking out some of the sweetest solo guitar in pop music, and the arrangements still make the best possible use of every second of every tune, but as good as they always were, they do more than exceed my expectations this time. They fulfill my hopes with an album that puts them in my personal pop pantheon beside luminaries like Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello and the Rubinoos. They are, in fact, that good. This is one of those albums that puts a great big smile on your face and sends you in search of your car keys so you can crank up the stereo and entertain the world. You'll probably want a convertible and a new home in a permanently sunny spot to go with this one, but even a grey day is gonna seem like perfect beach weather when this one is on." Shaun Dale, Cosmik Debris (Seattle, WA,)

"There's not much doubt that "Set For Life" will make my Best of the Year List, and it's only early May. I loved "Secrets," but this one is even better. Cumulatively, "Set For Life" and "Secrets" puts The Villas up there with local icons of mine, Zen for Primates and Electric Farm." Carlos Benjamin, The Blend, WDIY-FM (Bethlehem, PA)

"Power-Pop & Mom." Paul Willistein, Weekender (Allentown, PA)

"Certainly not your average working couple from Pennsylvania, The Villas (fronted by husband-and-wife singers, guitarists and songwriters Bill Villa and Angie Villa) cook up fourteen satisfying portions of smart, compulsively hooky power pop on their sophomore release, Set For Life. While their approach is certainly rooted in the jangle pop sounds of the 1980's, The Villas don't sound like a throwback so much as a continuation of the style, and their willingness to throw some potent hard rock overtones (the chugging "Exclusions") and country influences (a nice cover of Steve Earle's "More Than I Can Do") into the mix suggests an aural worldview that goes beyond the Rickenbacker. Their lyrics also display a maturity and hard-won wit that proves you can rock and sound like a grown-up at the same time (and that this is a good thing), while Angie's lead guitar work sidesteps six-string clichés while keeping both momentum and melody firmly on track. Set For Life proves Robert Pollard isn't the only 40-something pop visionary making fine music in the great American fly-over zone, and here The Villas rack up a higher batting average than Mister Guided By Voices has managed in a while." Mark Deming, All Music Guide (Ann Arbor, MI)

"I have a standing argument with my good friend Lucas that goes something like this – Me: “No one should ever, and I DO mean never, cover a Steve Earle song on record. Pay homage live or whatever, but don’t mess around with a song defined by a man like that.” Then Bill and Angie Villa go ahead and make a fool of me by popping off as subtle and moving a Raspberries-esque rendition of “More Than I Can Do” on their new pop opus Set For Life. Great melodies, good songs, and an incredibly attractive couple making it all happen…I quit." Kurt Hernon, BangSheet (Lorain, OH)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  "When listening to The Villas, praise comes fairly easily. These two talented guitarist/vocalists based in Allentown Pennsylvania make fun clean guitar-driven music. Though much of Set For Life showcases Bill Villa's songwriting talents, some of the highlights here come from elsewhere. His collaboration with Dave Follweiler, "I'll Have You Know," provides a lot of musical twists and turns in a very short time … "Personal Property" allows bassist Dave Baun to show his stuff … the poignantly graceful ballad "Now It Can Be Told" is a Dave Follweiler composition … and Bill Villa's impressive cover of the pretty Steve Earle tune "More Than I Can Do" is another highlight. The other surprise gem here is the sweet "Center of The Universe," where Angie Villa is given a chance to sing. It made me want to hear more songs featuring Angie. All the songs are remarkably pleasant ... they also incorporate elements of jazz (listen to "Toppers"), folk rock ("To Be In Love"), alt-country (the Earle cover) and harder rock (check out "Exclusions"). Set For Life is just under 46 minutes worth of fine ... and fun ... melodic power pop from a very talented married duo (and some of their equally talented friends). If you're into guitar-based retro-style melodic pop, you can't go wrong with this new set from The Villas." Gary Glauber, Fufkin.com (Bedford, NY)


Dave Follweiler
(foto by Zehra Karahoca)


Dave Baun (foto by Mark Hollis) 

 


"The Villas latest effort, "Set For Life," shows growth on every front,
from more prominent, nuanced vocals, to a bolder sound in general ... amplifying their prior disc's more subtle charms." John Terlesky, The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)

"14 tightly executed songs with an 80's new wave vibe oozing
with confidence and energy! Very well done!"
Ray Gianchetti, Kool Kat Musik (Sewell, NJ)

"Set For Life leaves The Villas very solid 'Secrets' debut in the dust! Fans of The Kennedys, The Humbugs, REM cum early McGuinn solo material and an unusual take on Brill Building styled songwriting will enjoy The Villas fine jangle and excellent woven melodies. Very highly recommended." Bruce Brodeen, Not Lame Recordings (Fort Collins, CO)

"The Villas new CD "Set for Life" is a high quality treat with superb sound. Furthermore, the tunes are there! If I were to nutshell what this reminds me of, I would site "The Girl Of My Dreams" by Bram Tchaikovsky ... so you can bet the whole lot here is a worthwhile listen! The Villas just keep getting better and better so keep your ears tuned in to this band." Jeremy Morris, Jam Recordings (Portage, MI)

"Set For Life features tunes that straddle several genres (folk, pop, rock) and demonstrates The Villas fine musical, vocal, and production skills. Fans of (Lauren) Agnelli and (Dave) Rave, Girls Say Yes, and the Heymans (Richard and Nancy) should dig Set For Life." Eric Sorensen, Fufkin.com (Arlington, VA)

"The Villas ... a young pop/rock band ... are a husband-and-wife musical duo from Allentown PA. Both here and on their debut Secrets, The Villas show themselves to be fine songwriters in the power-pop style." Ben Varkentine, Ink 19 (Melbourne, FL)