Guitarist Russ Rogers is shifting his focus away from electro-thrash group Kill Miss Pretty and is reviving his alternative rock project A New Way to Live Forever. Receiving rave reviews from this very publication back in 2008 ANWTLF auspicious debut EP, Avalanches, raised many eyebrows. Our former music editor Jonathan Cunningham calling its catchy Kings of Leon-inspired choruses "one of the best local discs that's come into the New Times offices in a while."
Debuting at the defunct Alligator Alley in Oakland Park alongside TV Club (who would eventually become Surfer Blood) in August 2008, the quartet displayed much promise with its chunky riffs that rivaled Seattle powerhouse Soundgarden. But, despite its snowballing success, the group disbanded shortly thereafter because of Rogers' prior commitment to Kill Miss Pretty and guitarist Todd Evans move to Washington DC to accept a job as an architect.
Rogers tells us he never felt right about quitting and when he decided to head back into the studio to record a mountain of material he's been working on, he decided to use the A New Way to Live Forever moniker because "it truly fit" where he's at right now.
Rogers says he's also been speaking with Evans and the two will be writing more songs together. Evans will also be making the trek down for rehearsal and shows. "Being a world-traveling architect has its advantages in frequent flyer miles," said Rogers about his band mates future travels. Joining the two will be drummer Phill Tucciarone and bassist James Coyle (both previously with the Numb Ones) and guitarist Brian Franklin of Rat Opera fame.
Rogers tells us he has been working non-stop since January and has about 30 songs complete. About what kind of direction he is taking the new material Rogers says "stylistically, its somewhere between Black Kids, Fugazi, and old Lenny Kravitz."
A new EP will be complete by summers end according to Rogers. The group has recently posted a new Tumblr page where fans can keep tabs on the revitalized quintet. For now, the group has one new number posted on there, "Till My Heart Stops Beating"-- a melodic mid-tempo post-grunge dozy with a savory reverb-drenched guitar hook that sounds a bit like Candelbox, only much more authentic.
