Songs Reviews

GAR FRANCIS/SONGWRITER

Songs Reviews

THE DOUGHBOYS - First Album - "Is It Now?" - 2007

“Coolest song in the world – Black Sheep”
-Little Steven Van Zandt, Underground Garage
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“Pure nitroglycerine… ”Black Sheep” is what a street fight between The Pretty Things and The Stooges would sound like. It’s got hooks as sharp as switchblades, and it’ll cut you if you look at it funny.” -Peter Lindblad, Goldmine

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“The Doughboys play a very exciting raw mixture of R&B, soul and garage rock. The album starts with amazing tracks: “Black Sheep” (Francis/Scavone)……….
Authentic but yet it's now. How long ago has it been that the Stones made an album like this...?” -Hanx, The Netherlands
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“You can’t plan the seamless melding on songs like “Black Sheep” , ”Hear Me Moan” Alan Bisbort, Hartford Advocate, CT
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“This great and gutsy album…crackles with vim and vigor… Original numbers such as ”Black Sheep”, "Hear Me Moan" and “She Comes In Colors” firmly demonstrate the band's instinct for creating the kind of music that motivated them to do what they do in the first place. Echoes of the early Rolling Stones, the Animals, the Shadows of Knight and Paul Revere and the Raiders bounce off the walls left and right.
You have been warned! The Doughboys have returned with a vengeance!”
                                                                                        -Beverly Paterson, Lance Monthly
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"Original fan and new guitarist Gar Francis has brought a stack of his own songs to the party and there are venerable or obscure covers ("Route 66", "That's How My Love Is", "I'm Cryin' ", "Down Home Girl" and "Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Anymore") that sit hand-in-glove with the fuzzy-edged tub-thumper "Out Of The Night" and the ace "Everything That's Close to Me".
(That last one's outro'd with a coda from a 1966 single by pre-Doughboys band The Ascots)" Review I94 BAR http://www.i94bar.com/
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THE DOUGHBOYS - Second Album - "Act Your Rage" - 2010

"The Doughboys alongside moderndaze garage favorites. Most of the time they sound like The Chesterfield Kings doing Rolling Stones tunes, some of which I prefer to both ("Break Out", "Turn Your Love On Me", "Nobody’s Girl" ...), and even though frontman Myke Scavone’s blues harp wails throughout most of the album…” -Serbian review by Goran Obradovic 2010 March/April Shindig Magazine
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“ the super-soulful "Carmalina" , an update on Otis' "I've Been Loving You Too Long".. Songs are the essence of The Doughboys and drummer Richie X Heyman and guitarist Gar Francis step up to the plate, writing another bunch great tunes. Francis and Scavone collaborate for a co-write on "Queen City" where boogie piano and brass embellishments summon a storm. "Desperate Delusion" falls a bit flat to my ears but "I'm Not Your Man" takes The Doughboys back to '65 Stones territory where they're much more comfortable. "Suck It Up" echoes Jimi 's "Crosstown Traffic" with its reverb vocal and saturated lead-break while "Tuesday Afternoon" comes on like the Who on psychedelics." -Review I94 BAR http://www.i94bar.com/
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"A touch of soul also trims the landscape in the mode of “Queen City” , which features the sassy and seductive sounds of a trumpet and saxophone. Exploding with energy and action, “I’m Not Your Man" , “Break Out" , “Turn Your Love On Me” and “Nobody’s Girl” are the type of songs that would have fit comfortably on a “Nuggets” set. A cocky attitude and mean and lean chops additionally drive the tunes to the ground. The Doughboys are keen songwriters, as their material retains the pulse and mood of sixties garage rock while at the same time splashing the genre with a fresh coat of paint." -Beverly Paterson, Princeton record Exchange
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“The allocation of songwriting responsibilities fairly evenly amongst their ranks most handsomely serves to underscore the reasoning behind such a move. Scavone and lead guitarist Gary “Gar Francis” Venittelli excel in that respect with several respectable collaborations, highlighted by the Goats Head Soup-era Rolling Stones swagger of “Queen City” and the curious Tremblers/Graham Parker/James And Bobby Purify hybrid (complete with basic New Wave era Portrait label guitar fills) of "Suck It Up" ."
- BLITZ MAGAZINE By Michael McDowell
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"… it’s also laced with fury and the echoes of everyone from the early Rolling Stones on “I’m Not Your Man” - which Little Steven dubbed the “Coolest Song in the World” on his radio show a while back; ………….. even the Knickerbockers on the harmonica-ragin’ “Turn Your Love On Me” ." By Kevin O'Hare January 03, 2010
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"Whoa! I’m listening to “Carmalina” and I’m transported back to The Stones’ “Love in Vain,” or “Angie.” The Doughboys work out the sway, swagger, and mojo that Mick and the boys put into these two blues numbers and then some. Listening to “Carmalina” , you get that feeling you get sometimes when listening to a new piece of music. The melody and lyrics sound so perfect, so instantly familiar, that it seems impossible that it didn’t exist before. I got that feeling several times while listening to and vibing out (you don’t wanna see me ‘vibe out,’ trust me) to Act Your Rage. This is one of the best, most well crafted rock ‘n’ roll albums I’ve heard in a while! But on “Queen City”, which is a barrelhouse, piano fueled rocker (ace keyboardist and long-time member of The Strawbs John Hawken lends his talent), they add a new dimension to their musical arsenal. Along with Ike Ejiochi on sax, and Taylor Mandel on trumpet, they create a boogie-woogie rock ’n’ roll number that’s Fats Domino-worthy!" -Phil Rainone, JerseyBeat.com
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"Every song is rock solid and the hooks are sharp. Brash and confident, they plow through tough, early Stones-style anthems “I’m Not Your Man” , “Break Out” and "Turn Your Love On Me” with sweaty energy. "

-Peter Lindblad, Goldmine, World’s Forgotten Boy
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"The Doughboys play classic rock a la Kinks. The tinkle of the piano and saxophones on "Queen City" are fun to listen to. For more muscle listen to the awesome "I'm Not Your Man" and Gar Francis' hot guitar licks. ..now the melody is front and center. Very nice." —Aaron Kupferberg, Powerpopaholic
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"This 21st century edition of the Doughboys is as '60s-obsessed on uptempo rockers like "I'm Not Your Man" , and "Break Out" as it is on the disc's slower, moodier selections (such as "Wishful Thinking" and "Carmalina"). " -by Alex Henderson
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