Deviating electronica from the valley of the sun.

Gerhardts are a band with a significant history but in many ways they are just getting started. I first saw them play at a small club in Seattle called The Josephine and although their intricate sound was compressed by the limited space, I was struck by the energy and passion of their performance. When I saw them again at the much larger Columbia City Theater I felt like I was hearing them for the first time. In the expanse of the gorgeous theater I could hear the shifting tones of the three guitarists, the subtle but powerful rhythm section, and the strong, clear vocals of Joshua Hollander- all combining to create rich tapestries of melody and sound. The indie-rock grandeur of the band and Hollander’s vocal proclivities are bound to inspire comparisons to Sunny Day Real Estate who are indeed a primary influence. However, Gerhardts are no mere Sunny Day sound-alikes. Out of numerous influences they have cultivated their own unique style which resists easy genre-classification but is both challenging and deeply satisfying.

Weaving through their music you can hear the rhythmic interplay of Spoon; the stately momentum of Low; the cascading arpeggios of Radiohead and The Cocteau Twins; and even the guitar grunge of Neil Young with Crazy Horse. Along with their varied but focused sound, the band has a strong lyricist in Hollander whose cryptic verses feature evocative lines that stand out amidst the swirl of guitar and drums. “I am the hammer abandoned to rust”, he sings in “Hammer” and “all my dreams/ they just fade like steam/ they just fade/ but I can still feel this heat burning me.” On “Irish Song” the vivid imagery of the verses evoke similar feelings of panic and frustration: “Standing alone in the river bend/Surrounded by all the dead, singing / Son, go on ahead, but these legs just won't bend.”

While Gerhardts have only existed as a band since 2009, the shared history of its members dates back to the late 90’s when they were all still in high-school, attending and playing shows together. Hollander and guitarist/keyboardist Andrew Hacket joined forces in a band called La Hoya Sunset who regularly shared bills with drummer Justin Wilmore’s band. Bassist and keyboardist Paul Herman was a fan of both bands and drummer Justin Desilet came into the picture when he and Hollander bonded over Kid A in college. In time most of the bands’ members went their separate ways, but between 2007 and 2009 Hollander and Hackett found themselves in Mexico, playing together in a band called Into the Sea which came to an end when Hollander returned to Seattle. When Hackett decided to do likewise in 2011 he was welcomed into the fold of a new band Josh had formed made up of old friends who by fate or mere circumstance, had come together under the banner of Gerhardts.

Since the time that they all met as teenagers, the boys in Gerhardts have devoted their lives to music and they’re not playing just for fun. They are bonded by friendship but are playing because they believe in the power of their music and having seen them, I, for one, believe in it too.

- Bobby Switchblade (2012)

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