BIO

"Greenville rockers Archer Vs. Gunman are a breath of fresh air in musical world rife with pretentious scenesters. Though AVG reference several milestone artists in their initial approach (Steve Earle, R.E.M., Wilco), they ultimately come across as an independent and original entity in their presentation and song-craft. There is as much influence of the Zen-like approach of Spiral Stairs as there is Peter Buck’s attention to style and Townes Van Zandt’s introspective strumming. It is a far-reaching understanding of songwriting that goes beyond the confines of americana/alt-country and indie rock, and ultimately makes for compelling listening.

The band is a well assembled, stripped down vehicle, carrying Williams’ songs along with enough creativity to keep them interesting without overshadowing them. Williams’ vocals are a bolt of raw electricity that cuts it’s way through his anthemic guitar work. He delivers his songs with an urgency suggestive of impending doom: you get the feeling that if you, as either the listener or the subject of the song, don’t heed his words, something important will be lost forever. His lines of verse are twisted, poetic jabs and sad laments, intimate conversations between friends and lovers, reminiscences of halcyon days drenched in whiskey and cigarette smoke. Williams delivers these bittersweet tales with the grittiness of Mike Ness, the desperation of Conor Oberst and the tenderness of Sam Beam for what solidifies as world-weary yet optimistic songwriting. One senses that what is presented by Archer Vs. Gunman is just the tip of their musical iceberg."

Rob Patterson - the Ratiofarm 02/04/2010