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Press Reviews
September 2002
Fivecrown – Proof
that San Diego can produce good music beyond Pop-Punk They list quite a few diverse influences to their sound, but I would describe them like this: Take the rich vocal sounds of Godsmack and add in the complex rhythms of System of a Down, provide some straight forward rock songwriting a la Staind and then mix in a good dose of the indefinable to give them their individuality. The album opens up with a tasty groove – Wonder Twins Powers Activate, which starts things off the way an album should, by grabbing you by the shoulders and saying “listen to me!”. Track 5, The Night, has a great rocking feel with a vocal style that is part Staind part Glen Danzig howl. The Giant Killer is a rocking good time that’s 10 times better than anything Pearl Jam has put out on their last 3 albums. The album isn’t all rockers though, Slow is a pretty decent power ballad that’s hard to describe… it has some sound elements of Godsmack, Bush and Staind… with a little dash Alice in Chains for flavor. If you’re looking for something meaty, hot and tasty, you could go buy yourself some Lil’ Smokies Hot-Links or this album… I suggest the album, as you won’t need the antacids afterwards.
All Music Guide Conceiving inspiring alternative rock themes, Fivecrown search for additional roads within pop/rock's most daring selections by providing a crossbreed of compositions enhanced by catchy riffs and harmonious melodies. Established at the end of the '90s, in San Diego, CA, Fivecrown consists of Christopher Hoffee (vocals, guitar), Keith Jones (bass), and Trace Smith (drums). Making their way within San Diego's club scene, Fivecrown started gathering a respectable following, even before recording their first disc. Magnificent 3 a.m., issued in 2000, confirmed the band's creative stamina, and ultimately offered the crew airplay on several national radio stations. In 2001, Fivecrown recorded their second full-length, NIAGARA, and all the Pretty Landmines, again receiving considerable praise both from the media and the public. ~ M. Júlio Castro May 2002 Fivecrown, a rockin' three-piece from San Diego, specialize in their own brand of radio-friendly rock music. This album displays their talent very well; it's hard music, but it is also catchy and enjoyable. Each song is very melodic, and the band's attitude is appealing. Although "Niagara..." features nothing out of the ordinary, it is still very enjoyable. "Chinese Surprise," one of the fourteen tracks on this album, is a good example of what to expect from this album: melodic vocals/guitar/bass/drums rock with an eye for macho-ness. However, do not fear, as this music never degenerates into the disturbing underworld of such musical travesties as Slipknot and Korn. "Pheromones and Telephones" is another standard tune on this album; it features a singalong-able chorus that would fit perfectly as a new hit single. I, personally, found myself humming it for days after the initial listen. Weeks after that, the song still packed as much power as it first did - there's something to be said about that! Fivecrown should be on mainstream radio - they've got all the style and none of the crap... Whoops, I forgot! Mainstream radio stations won't play music unless it's crap!
U.C.S.D. Gaurdian May 20th 2002 Local delight: Christopher Hoffee, lead
singer of Fivecrown,
HitQuaters.com San Diego based outfit, Fivecrown are a three-piece rock band featuring the well-travelled combination of guitarist, singer/songwriter Christopher Hoffee, Keith Jones on bass and drummer Trace Smith. Playing live dates as well as releasing own albums, this trio are well on their way into the big time. December 10th 2001 RollingStone.com June 25th 2001 fivecrown - Jean Gismervik, Rolling Stone
Ridgefield Press June 7th 2001 At
the Gypsy Lounge..... "I did stick around and see Fivecrown. In a time when the national music scene is dominated by crappy food like bizkits and korn, it is nice to be able to take refuge in the local scene with bands like Fivecrown. They played an amazing 1 1/2 hour set that never stopped being fun. They even included guest "Percussion Man" Israel from Mollystongue on
jambe and Janet (I think that was her name), a fan from the crowd, doing backup vocals on a few songs. It was a great show! Be sure to catch them whenever you can!"
West Coast Performer August Issue 2000 Fivecrown is quite a talented threesome. Christopher Hoffee supplies the vocals and guitars while Keith Jones and Trace Smith keep tight rhythm on bass and drums respectively. These guys, hailing from San Diego, have put together some very decent music. Magnificent 3 a.m. is an 11-song effort crying out to be noticed. This release is not just radio friendly, but radio ready. Several bands come to mind when listening to this album; Bush, Pearl Jam, and Crash Test Dummies (to name a few). These bands could have very well influenced Fivecrown, but they've taken their own direction. Every chord, every beat, and every lyric is theirs. Whether it be a head-bobbing harder cut like, "Fearless" or an introspective mellow song like "S.A.A.D.", this band has it down. Right away these guys demonstrate what they are capable of. "Chimera" is power-pop with a rousing, hard- edged refrain. This album is bound to get some heavy play on your stereo. - Jason Dupuis
Sometime 2000
A San Diego trio who ('s members) have supported Radiohead, Oasis, Blur, and the Cranberries, etc., release their ? cd. What do they sound like? Not immensely far removed from the dirty indie-pop of old Soul Asylum, the Replacements, or even an early Goo Goo Dolls (they were fantastic years ago, I swear). It’s questionable why, with good songs, and a sound that belies them actually being a three-piece (they sound bigger), why haven’t they been signed yet? Maybe the drummer is possessed?
No Cover Magazine May Issue 2000
The North County Times February 25, 2000 The band recorded it's 4 month old debut "Magnificent 3 a.m." at Big Fish in Encinitas. (Actually, only mixed it there....we recorded it in our house...) It is the law of San Diego bands to record at Big Fish. Don't make me pull out the statute. The record is a rock band's spin on power-pop -- nifty riffs and shiny harmonies without ditching the rock 'n' roll vibe. Hoffee's throaty vocals recall such rock messiahs as Eddie Vedder, Bush's Gavin Rossdale and Live's Edward Kowalczyk. The similarities can be quite frightening at times. Thankfully, Hoffee knows when to unleash the full power of his pipes and when not to. If not, the speedy pop tunes "Ultra Lo" and the title track would buckle ender the weight. "There's nothing worse than to sing something in a genre when maybe their voice is suited for something better," Hoffee says when pestered about his likeness to Vedder on the song "Americana Deluxe". "Magnificent 3 a.m." also harbors an affinity to brit-pop. The use of time shifts to switch "Chimera" is awfully similar to Radiohead's "Paranoid Android", the ballad "Giant" contains Slowdive-like dream pop inflections. " I really love that, the time signature changes. I'm naturally pretty moody. It's actually difficult for me to write up-tempo, happy songs." he says. Ambition has it's price. Fans of more bratty power-pop in the vein of the Muffs and Green Day probably won't dig the post-grunge flavors on the album. But Hoffee comes from a rock-music background, and also wants to bring his admiration for brit-pop into Fivecrown's music. " That's kinda funny how that happened. Genre wise, I didn't know what I was writing for," Hoffee says. "I like having that diversity. I don't want to be pegged 'oh, that I like that kind of song' or 'they play that kind of way.'" Writing lyrics is fairly new to Hoffee, since he was "only" a guitar player in Blacksmith Union. "The song structure I will get down real quickly. I'm really picky about lyrics. It's time consuming because I don't want to spout off some cliché's." The sweet sarcasm of "Americana Deluxe" : "Jimmy fancied to himself about a new girl / she's a little bit of a homemaker, she's a little bit of a whore / someone you'd might find laying on a hood of a car" make up for throwaway lines such as " It's no wonder I'm jaded, I've faded to black" from "S.A.A.D." or "Don't try to save me from myself" from "Ultra Lo." Hoffee may have to find some help to save his sanity. The band's grass-roots ethic -- self-releasing its music, booking its shows and searching for new venues -- keeps him busy. "It would be good to have some help on some things so I can be more of a musician than a businessman. The thing I need to concentrate on now is to get some radio airplay, which is really hard," he says. Good-luck, considering our "alternative rock" station. What's wrong with you listeners? The only brave station in town, albeit an uneven one, Sets 102, does not exactly have stellar ratings. Please tune in. - Steven Rubin
The San Diego Union Tribune January 20, 2000 Ambitiously conceived and expertly executed, fivecrown 's debut never sounds less than great, even when they sound like someone else. The hand-writing ghost of Bush is ever-present in Christopher Hoffee's overwrought vocals, but on the mood-shifting "Chimera" and "Giant", Hoffee's quicksilver guitar playing will help you forgive and forget. Drummer Trace Smith and bassist Keith Jones offer jet-propelled support throughout, and on the walloping "Americana Deluxe," fivecrown 's shiny rock machine roars down a road all it's own. A few more tunes like that, and the band might have itself a caravan. - Karla Peterson
The San Diego Weekly November 26, 1999
Fivecrown is the latest bastard child from the former San Diego group Blacksmith Union. Christopher Hoffee (ex-Blacksmith guitarist) along with Trace Smith (ex-Loam drummer) and Keith Jones have put together an impressive set of music for their debut album, Magnificent 3 a.m. In many ways their music is refreshing, for one, it lacks the "San Diego Sound" that has plagued so many local bands with stereotypes and expectations that they just couldn't live up to. Fivecrown does an effective job of writing catchy pop music without sounding like any other San Diego band. There are a couple of echoes of Blacksmith Union in a couple of songs, but it's more of Hoffee's guitar stylings that will trigger the connection. Another solid aspect of the album is the excellent production value, which can make or break an album. The guitars are layered nicely around the vocals while the drums and bass support the overall energy of the music. The mix of high-energy pop along with mellow moody stuff helps keep the album interesting. Overall the album is entertaining from beginning to end and should be a consideration if you're looking for some good music, local or otherwise. Fivecrown is here to stay and should be considered among the frontrunners of bands leading the revitalization of San Diego's new breed of talented groups. - Scott Riggs
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