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2010 FEATURES, REVIEWS Next
Imprint
"TRIO B.C." Music Samples
Check out Girl in a Coma's new videos for "Static Mind" and "El Monte" MUSIC SAMPLES PRESS RELEASES 2009 FEATURES, REVIEWS
2008 FEATURES, REVIEWS Out
Front Colorado
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Girl
in a Coma’s – Adventures in Coverland Featuring: **Plus, Three Brand New Tracks ** For
What It’s Worth (Orig. by Buffalo Springfield) *** ***
In a side project, lead singer/guitarist Nina Diaz has teamed with DJ Tiesto and lends her vocals on his new song, “In Your Mind” as part of the www.wakeupyourphone.com San Disk promotion available now.
Girl in
a Coma is a band with impeccable pedigree. The San Antonio-based trio
(comprising of sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz and their friend Jenn
Alva) were cherry picked by Joan Jett for her Blackheart Records label,
and have toured extensively with Morrissey, at the personal invitation
of the man who penned the song that inspired their name. It’s
perhaps therefore fitting that GIAC’s Adventures In Coverland
pays homage to the genealogy of their much-vaunted sound.
The title of their last album, Trio B.C., is a reference to one of the band’s greatest influences, Nina and Phanie’s grandfather, a drummer whose 1950s Tejano band was the source of the CD’s title. With Adventures in Coverland, GIAC delve further into the band’s collective musical history, recording their own versions of classic songs that helped shape the sonic core of Trio B.C., a record which prompted Alternative Press Magazine to rave that the band had “really hit their stride” and Billboard to enthuse that the ladies were “full of swagger and in fine form.” “We hope that this record introduces people to some of our favorite music and opens a little door into who we are,” says GIAC drummer Phanie of Adventures in Coverland. “A lot of our writing style was influenced by the music we grew up on and the love we saw our grandfather had for music. If we forget who started it for us, then we forget the spirit of our music. If that's lost, then everything is hollow, fake and manufactured.” Getting specific about the song selections for Adventures in Coverland, Phanie says, “We chose to cover ‘Walkin’ After Midnight,’ ‘Come On, Let’s Go’ and ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ because of our mother. We were raised listening to Patsy Cline, Ritchie Valens and The Beatles. It’s very raw, very real music that was the soundtrack to our mom’s life.” The songs featured in the project also reflect the trio’s choice of score during their formative teenage years. “As I stared discovering music on my own, in came Bowie and Joy Division,” recalls Phanie. “These artists became part of Jenn and my rotation of albums. I then introduced these artists to my younger sister, Nina, who in turn discovered bands like Velvet Underground and Nico. Then there is Selena, a very important figure in our lives…” ‘“Si Una Vez’ is one of our favorite Selena songs,” says GIAC bassist Jenn. “Her music was on constantly in our household. She was doing something very important for our culture and something new,” adds Phanie. “We felt the original version song already had a hidden punk quality,” Jenn continues. Given GIAC’s reverence for Selena’s music and all that she stood for, the girls’ were beyond honored when they were asked to perform their amped-up reworking of “Si Una Vez” at the 2010 Tejano Music Awards. Between 1986 and 1997 Selena won the Female Vocalist of the Year category at the ceremony a total of twelve times, so GIAC’s performance of her music at the TMA’s was particularly poignant. And the night was even more memorable for the girls since they got to meet Selena’s family. Going beyond the music, being of Mexican American decent means that recent immigration developments in Arizona strike a blow very close to home for GIAC – and the choice of the album’s bonus cover track reflects this. The song, “For What It’s Worth” was originally recorded by Buffalo Springfield in response to the clashes between young people and authorities during the infamous Sunset Strip curfew riots in the summer of ’66, but has since became a ubiquitous anthem for rebellion and change. “Doing ‘For What It's Worth’ turned out to work perfectly – especially with all that's going on in Arizona,” says Nina. “It's a ‘get up and let your voice be heard’ song. We intend to speak.” Phanie adds, “I think it's the perfect song to come out during this time. With all the craziness in Arizona, it's the perfect lyrics. We chose it for that reason. Something has to be done about the laws passing in that state and we hope covering this song will bring awareness and remind people that we don't want to go backwards.” Honoring their heritage further, GIAC decided to include a Spanish language track on the new album. The song, “Yo Oigo,” is the first original track from the band since the release of Trio B.C. in June 2009. ‘“Yo Oigo’ is my first attempt of writing a song in Spanish and I'm proud of how it came out,” says Nina. “It’s about speaking for your roots, and letting it come out. It's strong and powerful and I'm excited to do more.” The Adventures in Coverland CD will be released on October 19th, 2010.
GIAC Adventures in Coverland Tour 2010 Following a series of sold-out shows with Sia and Steel Train in the first half of 2010, GIAC have just confirmed a new run of headlining tour dates. The band will also be appearing at LA’s popular Sunset Junction street festival and at The Toadies’s third annual down-home Dia De Los Toadies event, to be held this year at a picturesque location along the banks of the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, TX. Gringo Star & Agent Ribbons will open 8/18 thru 9/5 and Hacienda & Sick of Sarah will open 9/7-24:
Tour Info: http://girlinacoma.com/calendar.html For press
inquires please contact: High resolution
photos and artwork can be downloaded at:
What
The Press are Saying
“There’s no debate that frontwoman Nina Diaz, whose lyrics are often inspired by literary heroes Oscar Wilde and Sylvia Plath and delivered with aplomb, is the star of the group. But the indispensable rhythm section of rock ‘n’ roll lifers Jenn Alva, 29, and Phanie Diaz gives the band much of its boisterous charm. Girl in a Coma is the best bet to put San Antonio back on the charts as the trio of young tattooed Latinas deliver their hybrid of propulsive punk rhythms and edgy pop melodies with refreshing enthusiasm.” AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
“Trio B.C. finds Girl in a Coma full of swagger and in fine form with tracks like “Ven Cerca,” featuring Nina crooning Spanish lyrics with a snarl.” BILLBOARD “The “Coma” girls come across self-assured and in total possession of their sound throughout Trio B.C. They’re asserting their Latin identity while staking their claim as an utterly American rock act.” ALL MUSIC GUIDE “Nina Diaz’s expressive tremble deserves bronzing. The frontwoman for diverse Texan rock trio Girl in a Coma is one of indie’s – scratch that, the world’s – most distinctive, emotive singers.” THE DAILY NEWS “The truth is, Girl in a Coma sound like no one but themselves. They’re distinguished by Diaz’s powerful yet soothingly tuneful vocals, but her soaring lamentations are pushed farther into the heavens by her sister Phanie Diaz’s stomping drums and Jenn Alva’s exhilirating bass lines. LA WEEKLY
“Following on the heels of the first tejano-inspired guitar notes of “BB,” Nina Diaz’s soulful voice grabbed us, then proceeded to kick us in the ass on the singalong-worthy “Static Mind.” PHILLYIST.COM “The trio has now proven themselves capable of evolving their sound and simply getting more passionate and powerful in their musical execution.” ABOUT.COM
“Trio B.C. is already one of the best releases of the Summer and is sure to make the top album lists of 2009. What I dig about the song “El monte” is that proves once and for all that Girl in a Coma is indeed the Latina reincarnation of The Smiths.” AUSTIN VIDA MAGAZINE
“Ven Cerca is seductive in its grinding tempo and rasp. By the time the song quietly withdraws from its wrathful rock, Girl In a Coma conclude their case that the ear-pleasing chord changes and vocals at the musical root of Trio B.C. can truly wake the half-dead.” ORANGE COUNTY WEEKLY “Trio B.C. is a huge leap forward for the band, showing off polish, maturity, and measure. As their shows grow in crowd size, as Nina opens up, possessed on stage, as Jenn and Phanie blow out your ear drums, as their popularity swarms, Girl in a Coma is still the punk rock band from San Antonio that will break your face, while Nina D.’s voice will break your heart.” FEMINIST REVIEW.COM
“Girl in a Coma was incredibly versatile transitioning flawlessly from heart-wrenching ballad, to punk rock riot, to a Sublime-like jump jam, and back again. The magical charm these girls have on stage would rival any spell cast by The Power of Three.” CAMPUS PHILLY “With erratic vocal gymnastics, Nina shrieked, screamed and sang with a more than able voice. This girl group turned out a show that should have left quite the musical imprint on the developing minds of the next generation and pave the way for Girl in a Coma to be the rock stars they are meant to be.” DALLAS VOICE “Frontwoman and songwriter Nina Diaz possesses a powerhouse voice with a range that rivals rock's all-time greats. Her sultry, rich singing is an accomplishment unto itself, but she also excels at throat-scratching grit, mixing the two styles together as naturally as chocolate and peanut butter.” THE PITCH WEEKLY “Even more visceral and self-assured than the act's impressive debut, Trio B.C. is a powerful, stripped-down record that kicks from beginning to end. Songs like "Static Mind" and "Slaughter Lane" recall Social Distortion in the way that they blend roots-rock twang and punk venom, while a softer side emerges on ballads like "Pink Lemonade" and "Trail.” WESTWORD The Writing is tight, the song structure is straight-up rock, and lead singer/guitarist Nina Diaz will blow you away with her huge, energizing vocals.” UNRATED MAGAZINE
"TRIO B.C." BIO
Girl in a Coma, hailing from the Lone Star State, formed when best friends Jenn Alva and Phanie Diaz met in Jr-high school art class over a mutual love of the Smiths, Nirvana, and skipping school. All they needed was a singer. Enter Nina Diaz, Phanie’s then 12-year old little sister. Nina blew them away with her mesmerizing vocals, a powerful voice some critics have compared to Bjork, Patsy Cline, and the band’s hero, Morrissey himself. The trio practiced for three years, gigged at local punk rock clubs, played a High School talent show, one kid’s birthday party, and then hit the road, building up a solid and loyal fan base across the country. In 2006, the Girls played for Joan Jett and long-time songwriting partner and producer, Kenny Laguna, at New York’s Knitting Factory as part of a cable TV show featuring unknown bands. Jett and Laguna were so impressed with the band that they signed GIAC to their label, Blackheart Records, on the spot. The band’s 2007 debut album, Both Before I’m Gone, was a critical hit with raves from Alternative Press Magazine, the LA Weekly, Bust magazine, among many others, with the album reaching No. 23 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and No. 21 on iTunes. “Clumsy Sky,” the band’s first single, won a 2007 Independent Music Award in the Best Song-Punk category. The last of the four singles released, “Their Cell,” was recently voted by TV viewers into the Top 10 on Logo’s The Click List show. Since the CD’s release GIAC has been headlining shows in venues coast-to-coast, playing on Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” tour, as well as opening for the Pogues, Social Distortion, Tegan and Sara in a cross-country national tour, and with Morrissey in both Europe and the U.S. In between the constant touring, the band was busy writing songs for their new CD, the upcoming Blackheart Record’s release Trio B.C. The creative process was a new and liberating experience for the Girls. “The challenge for this record was having to come up with songs in a matter of a year,” Jenn explains, “with Both Before I'm Gone we had 7 years with that material. For this new CD, a little over 18 months.” As with their first album, the end result is a unique amalgamation of eclectic influences: oldies, rockabilly, 90s alternative, and contemporary bands both indie and mainstream. And in a nod to their San Antonio, Texas background, the Girls place their cutting-edge rock sound in a familiar context. “We chose Trio B.C. as the album title because it was the name of our grandfather’s Tejano band way back in the 50s,” Phanie Diaz explains. “He was our first musical influence. He would play us guitar and sing and we would love to watch him in the garage with a cold beer in his hand playing his records and singing along like he meant it. His passion is our inspiration. We hope to make people feel that way about our music.”
“The song is about females in the music business,” Girl in a Coma’s writer/singer Nina Diaz explains about her song, “having that tough attitude and doing what you want. Joan was the door opener for us all." The rest of the album’s cuts explore different styles and tempos with tracks ranging from the eerie and poetic love song “El Monte” to the fast and hard rocking “Static Mind.” Other tracks include the delicate ballad "Pink Lemonade" and the more sonically experimental "Ven Cerca," Girl in a Coma's first Spanish language song, a cover of a bright 1960s Mexican pop song, but made modern and dissonant with feedback and fuzzy guitars reminiscent of Sonic Youth at their grungiest best. When not on
the road Phanie likes to Ghost Hunt. Jenn paints pictures. And Nina
has a stuffed bear named Güenther. They all love tattoos.
ABOUT BOTH BEFORE I'M GONE: Here is my new favorite band, Girl In A Coma. They appeared on Spread. Their album has received the Editor's Music Choice honor on iTunes and for once, a music editor has it right! If you like the band, buy the whole album, not only to support the band... butto add a great album to your library. - Dave Navarro
“Within the first few seconds of the first song, “Clumsy Sky,” on the San Antonio trio Girl in a Coma’s debut album, Both Before I’m Gone (on Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records), singer-guitarist Nina Diaz has already introduced herself as a charismatic singer with a big, beautiful voice that’s somewhere between the maternal comfort of Chrissie Hynde and the ghostly power of Siouxsie Sioux.” - LA Weekly “And in the band's music, there's a lovely touch of the restrained dada that the Pixies pioneered, the headlong energy of Sleater-Kinney and the playful vintage rock and pop melodies of classic girl groups of the 1960s.” - Tucson Weekly “The song that won me over was “Their Cell.” With lyrics like “tattooed lovers/they don’t like to reminisce,” this track is a throwback to both The Smiths and The Pretenders. Band members (sisters Nina Diaz and Phanie D, and childhood chum Jenn Alva) perform every song with a simple intimacy that announces rock and roll isn’t dead.” - Feminist Review magazine “Singer Nina Diaz has a voice that makes you get your elbows off the bar and pay attention. Forget those bands in the glossy mags. Girl in a Coma blows 'em away.” - The Pitch
“the all-female, Latina trio put plenty of spit-polished guitar and intimidating atmospherics into their silver-throated sound, elements that pricked the ears of riot godmamma Joan Jett and got them signed last year to her label, Blackheart Records. They've just released Both Before I'm Gone, a slickly produced but smartly executed collection of dreamy, anthemic hard rock that sounds like what Throwing Muses might have committed to tape if they had bigger budgets.” - Seattle Weekly
“I’m a virgin when it came to “Girl in a Coma” ( www.girlinacoma.com ) and therefore the perfect creature to be purified and converted by these new Goddesses of Rock’n’Roll and their mad rush of a thundering songs.” - Buzzine Magazine
“But then comes a song like "Sybil Vane Was Ill," which snarls and snakes its way to a pumped-up chorus. Or "In the Background," with its chipper hand-claps and Diaz’s warbling Corin Tucker impersonation. Or "Say," the album's standout track. Slicing guitars. Pulse-racing beats. A hint of new wave and general panic.” - Las Vegas City Life
“Tracks like “Celibate Now” and “Mr. Chivalry” introduce the band as a powerhouse on the music scene, and the album proves through inspired, body-moving tracks that there will be many more worthy records where this one came from.” - Bust Magazine
“Her guitar playing is just as much Cure-like as it is Marr-velous on “In the Background,” and her sister-drummer Phanie Diaz and bassist Jenn Alva also stir up some exhilaratingly doomy Joy Division–style patterns. Nina’s supremely confident keening turns “Road to Home” into a pure-pop gem, and she confides enigmatically that “Tattooed lovers don’t like to reminisce” on the pretty jangle “Their Cell.” - LA Weekly “The album captures the raw energy of the band, while also spotlighting Nina’s innate melodicism and mysterious, code-language lyrics.” - San Antonio Current ”To say the ladies are charming is an understatement -- they have beauty, brains and all the gumption one would expect from a sassy Texas trio. Still, it’s their music -- loud and clear alternative rock that has been compared to The Smiths, The Pixies, and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs -- that takes center stage.” - suicidegirls.com
"Their music is really interesting, intense, catchy rock 'n' roll. They were different, melodic. I'm a melody freak. I like guitar hooks and vocal hooks. I like to champion girls when I can." - Joan Jett |
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