Section: the Rep
Edition: Final Chaser
Page: 40
Column:arizona beat

FIVESPEED STARTING TO GET IN GEAR WITH FULL-LENGTH CD
Randy Cordova, The Arizona Republic

IFivespeed has been around for a few years, banging on the local indie scene and releasing a fine self-titled EP at the start of the decade. But the group may be moving to the "next level," bassist and founding member Rob Anderson says.

"We're on the path we need to be on," he says. "It's a good time for us."

One reason for the group's optimism? Fivespeed's first full-length CD, Trade in Your Halo, due in local stores Feb. 19. The band celebrates with a record-release party Saturday at Nita's Hideaway.

The disc captures the raggedy energy of the band but is coated with a radio-friendly polish. The group thanks producer Larry Elyea for that.

"He would help us with the structure of songs," guitarist Brad Cole says. "It would be, 'Put this part here, this part there.' It's still our song, but he knew what to do with it."

Elyea, guitarist for rap-metal act Bionic Jive, recorded the guys in his Valley studio. It took five months for the disc to go from birth to completion.

"Larry would give us his advice on things," drummer Chad Martin says. "Sometimes it would be like, 'Should we do this or not?' But then at the end, we usually were glad we tried it."

The result is an appealingly cohesive disc that is raw yet melodic. Lead singer Jared Woosley has a wide-ranging, charismatic voice, particularly on the punchy Quitter.

With the CD soon hitting the racks, Fivespeed is making sure it has all the pieces in place. The group did East Coast shows last year, as well as some showcases, including a gig with Jimmy Eat World.

Fivespeed often has appeared with the Jimmy guys. Woosley says the success of that Valley band indirectly has helped Fivespeed.

"More kids are coming to see them, so more kids are coming to see us when we're with them," he says with a laugh. "Kids that wouldn't have heard us are getting to know who we are."

CAPTION: Fivespeed is on the move, but the local indie band -- Jared Woosley CAPTION: (left), Jesse LaCross and Rob Anderson -- still has to rehearse.