"Most of the press on the L.A. band the Starvations mentions their sonic resemblance to early L.A. punk bands like X, the Gun Club, or the Flesh Eaters. For once you can believe the hype. They have the same rambling sense of drama and abandon that those groups had, the same blend of drunken blues shouting and a strong literary bent. Gabriel Hart's vocals have the same kind of tuneful wildness that Jeffrey Lee Pierce had at his best...." - Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
"The Starvations was an important band. From 1999 to 2005, the group was an under-the-radar lightning rod of creativity and influence. The Starvations raised the bar on what Angelinos could expect not only from their city, but current music in general. The group reached fruition with its 2003 roots-punk masterpiece, Get Well Soon. Easily one of the best albums of that year (along with the Deadly Snakes’ Ode to Joy), the record felt like a culmination of Los Angeles’ vibrant punk scene; all of which is documented in 2002’s Let’s Get Rid of LA compilation. 2005’s Gravity’s a Bitch proved the Starvations hadn’t lost a step, but by the time the album hit the racks, original bassist Jean-Paul Garnier and guitarist Ryan Hertz had left the fold. The group (Gabriel Hart, vocals/guitar; Ian Harrower, drums; Vanessa Gonzalez, keyboard/accordion) rebuilt in time to support the record with new members Leon Catfish (guitar) and Dave Clifford (bass).
As with all lineup changes, a new sound developed, prompting the Starvations to change its name to Fortune’s Flesh. The move, done somewhat mischievously (the guys and gal had been practicing new material for months without telling anyone), starts a new chapter for not only the band, but L.A. punk. Fortune’s Flesh carries on the same vibrant roots-punk sound the Starvations had fine tuned, but incorporates more complexity, most notably three-part harmonies Gabriel Hart has dubbed “death doo-wop.†- Ryan Leach, Razorcake
"Jail Weddings are unreal—full disclosure is that I respect Gabe Hart (Starvations/Fortune’s Flesh) a lot and here is the band he was born for. Nine-piece revue with himself and two wild ladies up front—Katya the incandescent blonde and Tina the bombshell brunette—and a band that is Phil Spector’s Wrecking Crew from X’s Los Angeles. Their good songs are as good as any good band and their best songs are an honor and a privilege: Gabe in silver tie with basso boom like Roy Orbison (!) hauling a song across his shoulder with the opener, “Somebody’s lonely . . . !†and the band (with violin and sax and keys) and the girls pop in on the exact same sha-la-la behind him. No gimmick—instead the total real deal, with Katya and Tina and Gabe all splitting solos (just like my Wailers at the Castle LP) off their righteous heartbroke big-beat big-chorus California rock & roll." - Chris Ziegler, District Weekly/LA Record
