Wednesday, August 13, 2008

vaco in charleston....

Check it out:
http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=49954

VISITING ACT | Virginia Coalition
On the Road Again: The diligent Virginia Coalition puts their experience to song
BY BUSTER BROWN

"Punch Drunk Dub" from the album Grow Yer Own

Virginia Coalition's Home This Year is a near perfect blend of musical styles. With bits of vintage country, old-school classic rock, and modern groove-pop, it's a listenable mix.

"It's good being eclectic," says frontman Andy Poliakoff. "It keeps you on your toes musically, and it's fun. We wanted to get back to some serious songwriting."

On the Alexandria-based trio's latest, singer/guitarist Poliakoff, keyboardist/guitarist Paul Ottinger, and bassist Jarrett Nicolay channeled their musical experiences into their lyrics, showcasing their songwriting and focusing on finding their own unique sound.

"In the past few years, we were writing for the live shows, endless groove things that are far from what we wrote when we were starting out," says Poliakoff. "We wanted to get back to that original creative impulse and focus on our songwriting."

The title track is about the melancholy of being far away from home — yearning to be with loved ones, but endlessly trapped on the road. The single touches on the band's challenging experience venturing cross-country to California.

"Being on the road away from your family and friends for a long period can be tangibly painful," says Poliakoff. "Home This Year embodies that sentiment and how singing about it can help make you feel closer to home."

Their time away from the grind of touring allowed them the opportunity to collaborate with such songwriter/producers as engineer Marshall Altman, who gave them inspiration and insight.

"Marshall is a phenomenal musician," says Poliakoff. "He'd get down to every hook, every chord, and every lyric."

Through their recent experiences on the road and in te studio, the Virginia Coalition found a way to grow and create an album reflective of their deep roots. —Buster Brown