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Mêlée
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HQ: Orange County, CA NOW PLAYING: Devils & Angels (WARNER BROS.) WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW 'EM: These California dreamers offer up a pretty persuasive package of polished, piano-driven rock with a splash of goofball charm. What's not to love? YOU LIKE? YOU'LL LOVE: Jack's Mannequin / Waking Ashland / Phantom Planet The guys in Mêlée are self-admitted softies. Taking cues from classic-rock power ballads and singer-songwriters like Elton John, the O.C. quartet-vocalist/keyboardist Chris Cron, guitarist Ricky Sans, bassist Ryan Malloy and drummer Mike Nader-aren't afraid to tap into their collective sensitive side. So it came as a bit of a shock when the band enlisted metal maven Howard Benson to produce the soaring, sweet songs on Devils & Angels, the band's major-label debut. "The first time we met [Benson], he brought all these keyboards, pianos and stuff, so I was hooked," remembers Cron. "It was funny because I was probably the most adamant, like, 'No, let's go find someone else.' But he's way into '70s pop and he plays piano!" "He turned us into bad asses," interrupts Sans, grinning. "He'd be telling us about working with all these bands, and we'd be sitting there reading books and watching Love Actually." The resulting album is rife with variety, whether the band is trying their hand at urban-flavored rock ("You Got"), stratospheric love songs ("Built To Last") or even a Hall & Oates cover ("You Make My Dreams Come True"). It's fitting, since the four musicians cite everyone from the Beatles to the Bee Gees to Dave Matthews as influences. But, truth be told, the track they've connected with most is their ode to New Orleans, "Rhythm Of Rain," which is meant to provide hope for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. "We were there two weeks before the hurricane happened, and we had a great time trying to absorb the culture of the city," reminisces Sans. "It's one of those rare cities that [gets] its vibe from people and culture. Two weeks later, the whole thing was destroyed." A message of hope also drives the coming-of-age anecdote captured in "For A Lifetime." "When we started writing the record, all of our friends were finishing off college," says Cron, who, like Sans and Malloy, stopped attending university after signing with Hopeles/Sub City for the band's 2004 album Everyday Behavior. "And for us to stand back and see all of these people with nothing made [us] realize that the promises from youth that a [college] degree would ensure success were fallible." Despite the darkness of some of their subject matter, Mêlée still believe in happy endings. "Mike and I are really into this TV show called Friends," Sans says with a smirk. Nader beams, "All I have to say is that Rachel got off the plane." - Melissa Bobbitt UNDER THE INFLUENCE What album's had the greatest influence on you? "CIBO MATTO's STEREOTYPE A is a life-changing musical CD for me," admits Mêlée guitarist Ricky Sans. "It changed my whole perspective on everything, insofar as it saying you can do whatever you want. Just have fun with it." ALT |
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