Listening to Shore Acres Drive is like revisiting the early 2000s without having to be subjected to the awful fashion and awkward vernacular of the era. The three-piece Ithaca, New York act’s debut EP Middle of Nowhere brings to mind the sounds of bands from the early millennium like Weatherbox, The Early November, and Say Anything, all the while appealing to fans of bands currently dominating the indie punk scene, such as Modern Baseball and The Front Bottoms.
Originally a solo project of Charlie Fraioli, the singer/songwriter said that after playing acoustic for a while, he wanted the songs to be played with a full band. He enlisted in the help of drummer Jake Burchard and bassist James Manton to transform Shore Acres Drive from an acoustic project to a three-piece.
“I met James through his solo folk punk project, Participation Trophy, and I asked him to play bass for an upcoming show if I could find a drummer,” Fraioli explained. “I honestly didn’t expect to find someone on such short notice, but a few weeks before the show someone gave me Jake’s number. I basically called him up and asked him if he’d play the show with us, even though he had no idea who I was. But once we were all in a room together, everything just clicked.”
It’s safe to say that the young musicians have benefited from the local scene. Not only has it been crucial for Shore Acres Drive, but for other musicians, too. The band agreed that the city’s DIY music scene is supportive, making it easy for bands to promote their music by playing shows.
“There’s a non-profit here called Ithaca Underground that organizes 60+ all-ages shows a year, and it creates so many opportunities for local artists,” Fraioli said. “I mean, they let me play my first solo show even though I’d never played a single song outside of my bedroom. A month later, I played a show opening for Old Gray. These are the kinds of things that Ithaca Underground makes possible.”
But for a scene to be supportive, musicians have to exist in the first place. Ithaca has hosted a lot of talented, hardworking local and regional bands like Del Paxton, Yakbak, Krill, The Hotelier, Sorority Noise, Deerhoof, Man Man, and King Sized Pegasus. This scene adds another layer of inspiration to the members of Shore Acres Drive’s individual influences. Fraioli was originally inspired to start writing music because of bands like Tigers Jaw and Bayside, but the addition of Burchard and Manton has brought harder influences to the drawing board.
“I’m inspired by a lot of stuff musically, but the stuff most relevant to this project is 1990s emo and post-hardcore bands,” explained Burchard. “I listen to a lot of Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate, and it’s evident in the new songs.”
“Yeah, I’m from Syracuse,” Manton added, “which definitely explains my strong influences from hardcore and post-hardcore music.”
With Burchard hailing from Boston and Fraioli originating from Westchester, NY, crossing paths in Ithaca has put the members in an ideal scenario, allowing them to bring unique musical influences to the table. According to Burchard, this melting pot of influences can definitely be heard in the band’s newer songs, which he says have a “1990s emo vibe.”
“As opposed to the older songs I wrote, the new stuff we’ve been writing has been a collaborative effort,” Fraioli added. “The older songs were acoustic tracks I wrote that eventually evolved into full band songs, but everyone has equal input in these new songs. It’s a very different process from what I’m used to, which I think is a good thing.”
With the talent and effort the members possess, it’s only a matter of time before Shore Acres Drive is a name recognized outside of Ithaca. For more on the band, visit their Facebook page.
Originally posted on Black on the Canvas
