The Russians Are Coming To Sonicbids Spotlight
May 30, 2008
Story by: Liz Pelly

This week's CMJ/SonicBids Spotlight Artist is the Russians, a five-piece alternative rock band from Boston. With songs that have been rightfully described as updated takes on the Beatles sound, or a simplification of the Flaming Lips' intricacies, the Russians have self-released two EPs, and hope to tour later in the year after the release of their debut LP.

On the band's most recent EP, many of the songs are ones that frontman Scott Janovitz has been working on since as early as 2002 in his studio in Cambridge. Eventually, he started playing the songs live with some musician friends from around Boston, and the Russians were born.

Janovitz says that his other projects have influenced the Russians' simple, stream-of-conscious songs: a collaborative band called the Great Bandini, which is more "guitar-rockin" than the Russians; The Figgs, where he plays keyboard; and Graham Parker's the Latest Clowns, with whom he has toured and recorded.

"I think there can't help but be some osmosis between the different projects I do, but I really try and keep them unique from each other," says Janovitz.

"I love Boston," he says, confirming he has played his best shows in his hometown, despite having toured all over the country and overseas. "I feel like it's all circumstantial though. I could go back to one of these places and maybe have a terrible time. But if there are twenty people there who really give a damn, it's going to be good."