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Monterey County Weekly
| July 20-26,2006
Still Rocking
"Well Grounded: Ribsy’s Nickel has
stayed humble as they’ve grown into a big regional act."...
(Read the full article here.)
The
Goodtimes -CD Review- July
13 ,2006
Ribsy’s Nickel
Going for Broke
Independently Released
As far as hotheaded, thick-necked Red Bull rock goes, this
ain’t half bad. This local quartet’s sound lies
somewhere between pop-punk and hard rock, occupying the same
shadowy territory from whence crawled Papa Roach. “Get
Happy,” the opening track from Ribsy’s Nickel’s
new Going for Broke disc, has one of the most misleading titles
since Marilyn Manson’s “The Love Song”—singer
Jason Williams confesses that he’s “never been so
low” against a crunchy, pus-filled four-chord pattern.
By contrast, the new wave-tinted intro to “Good Girl”
sounds almost jaunty when it flies in like a flock of seagulls
at a white wedding, giving way to a tight, catchy vignette
that’s probably the best of the lot. On both “L.I.V.I.N.”
and “Missing You,” the band takes a crack at reggae
surf pop, and “The Watering Hole” is a trek into
Devil Makes Three-style country, albeit more sardonic (“If
I’m leavin’ with her, I’m throwin’ up
in her face”). Two covers are also included here: Cheap
Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” and the hidden
track, Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.” Both of
these tunes are so played as to put the “over” back
in “cover,” but “Tainted Love” stands
up surprisingly well to the pop-punk treatment, and the group
has done a fine job of recapturing Cheap Trick’s pop
sparkle. Stick around for the Sammy-Hagar-at-82 impersonation
at the tail end of the CD. | DO
Santa Cruz Sentinel -Best Bets- October
21 ,2005
These four guys from the Santa Cruz's Westside play a mix
of rock, reggae, hardcore and punk with a melodic pop flavor.
After gaining an audience here in Santa Cruz and winning KMBY's
Battle of the Bands, they relocated to Huntington Beach to
expand their audience. They haven't forgotten their native
city though. This is a show not to be missed.
Your Music Magazine | August
2004
Jesse Corona has to be one of the most melodically fluid
guitar players this area has to offer. And he proved as much
in song after song at the Battle, ranging from infectious
fills to thrilling leads. Also, their concerts always remind
us again and again of that gifted singer (Willz) living in
our midst. For your hardcore Sublime fans, this is your methadone.
Holding the Rib together was drummer Spine and their new bassist.
One of the highlights of the battle was Ribsy's rousing rendition
of Soft Cells "Tainted Love." They rolled this song out with
the RN imprimatur all over it but still retained the essential
dynamics of that song. Ribsy's Nickel makes one proud to be
from this area.
Metro Santa Cruz | June 9-16, 2004
Ballot to the Head
"No one likes to lose, so there's always an excuse," says Lyon Entertainment and Your Music Magazine's founder Mike Lyon, who's working on winding up the fourth year of the Battle of the Bands at the Catalyst this Friday. He's talking about a small scandal that happened during the battle's first year, wherein a music writer learned about an allegedly skewed voting process conveyed by one of that year's contestants. West Side favorites Ribsy's Nickel won the grand prize, and Lyon insists they won fair and square.
... (Read the full article here.)
The Wave | March 14-27, 2002
Ribsy's Nickel
With songs on rotation at local radio station KMBY and the crown for last year's Battle of the Bands, Ribsy's Nickel is doing more than making waves---it's fast become one of Santa Cruz's best bands. With a style that touches everything from rock to reggae to hardcore, these four guys from the West Side are no strangers to rock.
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