The Villas
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Set For Life    |    Secrets
 

 

"Like Fountains Of Wayne, Guided By Voices, and Ivy, The Villas weave melodies in and out of chord progressions that recall the golden era of Brill Building songcraft, though there is nothing retro about this ensemble. Similar to the post-John Cale Velvet Underground and the early incarnations of the Talking Heads and Blondie, The Villas are a band out of time; or, as critics like to opine, ahead of their time. Something radical is going on ..." Tom Semioli, Amplifier
> The Villas live at Luna Lounge, NYC

"This husband and wife Power Pop team gets everything right: the hooks are rich, the musicianship sharp, and the lyrics are literate but never pretentious. Their 1960s- Merseybeat-meets-1980s-New Wave songs stack up nicely with the Plimsouls, the Smithereens, and the skinny Elvis Costello of yore. Plenty of these tunes belong on the radio." Nick Dedina, Listen.com
> Listen: The Villas: Review

"The Villas represent a hidden treasure. Their rustic, heartfelt folk-pop enveloped within a slick shiny sheen, much like Steely Dan with Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark instead of Becker and Fagan. Gorgeous slabs of pop Americana that pushes the Villas into Jayhawks/Wilco/ Pernice Brothers territory, without the deserved recognition. Tell you what; let the abundant gifts of the Villas be secrets no longer." Kevin Matthews,
> THE POWER OF POP

"Buoyant pop/rock with a great sense of harmony. In the vein of Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Michael Penn. Super-catchy melodies and interesting lyrics, both delivered through the sweet voice of Bill Villa. For a debut album, this is a really solid one." Dave Heaton
> erasing clouds

"... barreling bounce ... organ-dotted romper-stompers ... joyous jingle-jangle. Solidly melodic pop that neither suffers fools gladly nor takes itself overly seriously. A gem of a record." Michael Karpinski
> The Music Box: The Villas - Secrets

"Catchy as flypaper." Kate Riess, WDIY, Bethlehem PA
> WDIY 88.1 FM - Lehigh Valley Community Public Radio - Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton
> http://www.wdiyfm.org/

"... charismatic performers ... original songs written and performed with a poetic fervor." Amy Chase, Bethlehem PA
> Lehigh Valley Style Magazine

"The sheer variety of material here keeps me from calling this power pop. Among a whole raft of really really good songs, I hear ... bits of classic singer songwriters, Brill Building ... 70s folk ... 80s melody ... with Class A songwriting. "Like There's No Tomorrow" answers the question: what would The Beatles sound like jamming with The Byrds in 1966. And "Big Tears," a gorgeous acoustic guitar and brush strokes ballad would have given The Hollies a run for their money. Of course fans of jangly pop will find much to their liking here, but with cool little twists, sometimes in the melody, sometimes in the harmonies, particularly in the arrangements. I find it amusing that this one almost fell by the wayside of a Sunday afternoon house cleaning, and now I don't think my collection would be complete without it. Bart Mendoza,
> CRAWDADDY!

"Imagine Elvis Costello in an amazingly good mood. Solid, Adult Alternative pop music ... track this one down." James Baumann
> swizzle-stick.com

"Strong, lean pop built on memorable hooks, catchy melodies, and surprisingly detailed production. East Coast counterparts to Aimee Mann and Michael Penn." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
> VILLAS AMG All Music Guide

"A beguiling pop concoction." Carl Cafarelli
> WXXE - Syracuse NY

"The Villas are a logical step for those who enjoy the aesthetics of power pop but have developed a deeper appreciation for laid back, country-flavored sixties pop."
> Theodore DeFosse

"You want to spend some time with this recording and bask in it for a while." David Fufkin, PopMatters
> The Villas: Secrets - PopMatters Music Review

"Every track on 'Secrets' has the ability to grab you with its musical charms. Definitely an album that any kind of pop fan will love." David Bash, International Pop Overthrow Festival
> Amplifier

"Exceptional songwriting, spirited playing, evocative and passionate vocals. With songs as good as these and a band as good as this, it becomes difficult to not deliver. " Claudio Sossi
> Welcome To The Shake It Up Reviews Page!

"The Villas combine elements of Rubber Soul, The Eels, and Elliott Smith, with an enchanting darkness and charm uniquely their own." Elliot Kendall, Panoramic Sound, LA
> ElliotKendall.com

"The Villas 'Secrets' is one of those albums that gets continually stronger as it goes on. It's good to hear songwriting that can sustain over 30 minutes. 'Always Ending' is a nearly perfect [expletive deleted] song. The Raspberries meet Elvis Costello on Abbey Road." Chris Carter (Dramarama/Wondermints/Brian Wilson/KLSX)
> FM TALKi

"Angel Villa can say more with a brief guitar fill than most pickers can say with an extended solo." Shaun Dale, Cosmic Debris
> Review

"Bill Villa proves himself to be a consummate songsmith
who has a canny ear for melody and structure and can
coin a deft turn of phrase. Secrets is filled with great
music." Eric van Domburg Scipio
> HEAVEN

"Twelve hours, on my eighth listen now, and just completely losing my mind in this music as though it's the last sounds I'll ever hear. And you know what? If it were the last, I'd be a-okay with that. These folks got something going on with their yielding yet smart pop chops. Like Eric Carmen and Holly Beth Vincent living a weird suburban American dream." Kurt Hernon
> BangSheet Vol 4

"A wonderful mix of sublime songs and simple jangle."
Bruce Brodeen, Not Lame Recordings
> Not Lame Recordings - an independent power pop record label

"Articulate, melancholy, and memorably aching. Dramatic jangle in the vein of R.E.M." Mike Bennett, Pop Palace
> Pop Palace REVIEW: The Villas - Secrets

"Secrets is one of the most impressive indie pop releases I've heard in quite a while." Jude Hayden, Pop Palace
> Pop Palace REVIEW: The Villas - Secrets

"The Villas have the talent to make it, it's just the matter of being heard above the din." Chad Bowar, Suite 101
> October CD Reviews M-Z - Suite101.com

"The Villas may very well be the new seed the industry needs to plant in itself." Stew Brodian, WDIY Bethlehem
> PLAYLIST - WDIY - 88.1 FM / 93.9 FM