Recent News
December 15, 2007
A HOLIDAY GIFT + MYSPACE REMIXES FROM BENZOS
In the true spirit of the holidays, Benzos are offering fans an exclusive free download entitled "Coup D'Etat", featuring a brand new track plus two b-sides from "Branches" available here. The band has also posted new remixes of "Branches" on myspace.
October 16, 2007
NYC'S OWN BENZOS BLITZ CMJ WITH 4 PERFORMANCES

-October 16th - Southpaw - Brooklyn, NY
JellyNYC Presents CMJ GIBSON/FUSE TV SESSIONS at SOUTHPAW w/Deerhunter, British Sea Power, Islands, Joseph Arthur, The Felice Brothers, Yeasayer, and more!

-October 18th - Blender Theatre at Gramercy - New York, NY
Eclipse Gum and Amie Street Presents Benzos with The Epochs, Biffy Clyro, and Datarock

Doors at 6pm - Benzos at 7:45pm

-October 18th - R Bar - New York, NY
Blown Speaker NYC Presents Benzos with The Epochs, Takka Takka, Born In The Flood, The Forms, Little Birdy. Hosted by Matt Pinfield

Doors at 7pm - Benzos at 11:45pm

-October 19th - Pianos (Upstairs) - New York, NY
Planetary Group Presents Benzos in a rare, intimate acoustic performance at 5:30pm

Artist Biography
What happens when you take everything you know about music theory and throw it out the window? For Benzos, Stinky Records' New York-based, genre-bending quartet, it is not mere experimentation - it is their raison d'etre. Hence, it is no surprise that their sophomore album Branches, set to hit stores on August 7, 2007, seamlessly blends the ambience and rhythm of early underground dance and experimental electronic music with lush, rock-based guitars and soaring vocals.

On Branches, Benzos' Christian Celaya (guitar/synth/vocals), Brian Joyce (guitar/vocals), Eiko Peck (bass) and Steve Bryant (drums/sampling) capture the melodic allure of Doves, the sprawling dynamics of Explosions In The Sky and the minimalistic yet intense complexity of Aphex Twin, to develop a unique blend of ambient, emotionally resonant guitar and synth instrumentation, "mashed up" with tight, bottom-heavy, intensely-funky rhythm section grooves.

Recorded in the Summer of 2006 with Anthony Ranere (Lake Trout) and Steve Wright, Branches marks a return to Christian and Brian's early influences of DJ and house music and culture (and all the trouble you can imagine they got into being involved in that scene), as well as a deepening emphasis on the hip hop and drum and bass sound that Eiko and Steve have long cultivated. The result of the band members' experimentation with different moods and textures in their songwriting is a sound that melds each of their respective styles into a cohesive unit that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Having undergone early changes in personnel and instrumentation, Benzos have overcome these obstacles by honing their creative vision to incorporate a heavily improvisational element, which they refer to as "live remixing" and which has become a hallmark of the band's live shows. From the drum n' bass overtones of "Hurt Everybody" to the infectious melodies of "Phase 2" to the dynamic vehemence of "Crooked Hands", Branches engrosses you with transcendent emotions and complex, highly danceable rhythms that leave you wanting more.