Roy Davis & The Dregs

Check out Roy 'n' the Boyz recent performances on WCSH 6's 207 show!
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DEADWEIGHT RADIO WATCH - Here you will find a growing list of radio stations that are hip enough to spin the new record:
WCLZ (AAA)
WCYY - Spinout with Mark Curdo
WBLM - Greetings from Area Code 207 with Charlie Gaylord
Americana OK Nashville, San Francisco, and International Broadcoast
WETS East TN, Southwest Virginia, Western NC
WFDU New York
WGCS The Globe Goshen, IN
WYOU/WRRW Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Virginia
Americana Homeplace
KPFT 90.1 , Houston, TX
Public Radio East , Eastern North Carolina
WFPK , Louisville KY
KRBC , Santa Rosa , CA
WNCW , Greenville/Spartanbrg/Ashville/Anderson, SC
EARLY REPORTS ARE IN:
"Did alt country first come above ground with the Counting Crows? Them’s fightin’ words to fake cowboys, but Davis and his Dregs make a good case for just that on their second album. The Maine trio does a fine job of rehashing Ryan Adams and Wilco circa “A.M.” But Adam Durwitz is also all over this one - and that’s not a knock. To be fair, the Crows never swamp-stomped like “Hardly Holding On,” but if this was 1994 you’d be breaking up with your prom date to excellent ballad “Lie Like the Snow Falls” and loving it."
The Boston Herald
"It’s a fine line between influence and imitation, and Roy Davis treads it lightly on his second release with The Dregs, “Deadweight.” From one track to the next, Davis wraps his original lyrics around sounds reminiscent of Wilco, Whiskeytown, Neil Young and a few others you can’t quite put your finger on (Counting Crows?). Each song, be it a quiet folk song, twangy rock and roll or honky tonk, has a shadow of familiarity. After a few times through, however, it becomes clear there is something original and unpredictable about the Portland, Maine singer-songwriter. On “Lie like the snow falls,” he sings, “Don’t cry when your glass is full/ just lie like a snowfall/ hell is the little things/ love will dance again.” At 22, this is a songwriter who displays a maturity beyond his years. And a talent that holds the promise of great things to come."
Freight Train Boogie
"I’m very impressed with this album; there’s not a bad song here. The band calls itself country, but I’d consider it to be more along the lines of “twangy rock.” Either way, this is windows-down, wind-in-your-hair, feel-good summer music. With this type of music, there’s a fine line between being contrived and being genuine, but Roy Davis strikes a balance that makes for a great batch of songs that are positive without being cheesy. If you haven’t heard this band, I definitely recommend checking them out, because judging by this album, they have the capability to go far."
The Noise Magazine
"Davis has found his range as a singer, cultivating his alt-country accent and knowing his limits, and broadened his sound, getting both more raucous and more stripped-down at various times.
...has made an album any alt-country fan can settle into, but doesn't sound like a knock-off.
...Davis' lyrics have this odd nonsensical cant to them, but when you tease them out, like the Mulder and Scully reference that comes later in this tune, they usually make sense in an X-Files sort of way....feels like you're being dragged against your will into the future."
Sam Pfeifle,The Portland Phoenix"...Happiness is listening to "Deadweight," the new record from Roy Davis and The Dregs. Produced by Jon Nolan, "Deadweight" consists of a dozen songs that reside in the place where alt-country rubs elbows with rock 'n' roll along with plenty of heart..."
Aimsel Ponti, The Portland Press Herald: GO
"(RD&DREGS') upcoming release “Dead Weight” echoes influences from several artists including The Band on the opening track “Please Go Home” and Neil Young on “Come Around”. In between Roy recalls Whiskeytown’s glory days on “Dead Weight”, “Get What’s Coming” could be a lost track from Ryan Adam’s solo disc “Demolition” and “Further and Further” could be a cover from Jonathan Richman’s “Jonathan Goes Country” (and yes I do mean that as a compliment). Twangster fans of the usual suspects (Wilco, Jayhawks, Ryan Adams,etc.) will dig this disc of Alt-Country/Americana from one of the scenes more promising young songwriters." -Hal Bogerd,
Hickory Wind
"it seemed like Roy Davis and his Dregs were just a bit too late to the party."
Americana UK
It's a cracker! 100% Guaranteed. "Roy Davis wrings emotion from his voice as if he learned the "how-to" from Neil Young. For Davis, hitting the notes are less important than the feeling. Jon Nolan's production places Davis' ragged voice to ride atop the country-rock laments most closely resembling the sound of Wilco's A.M. Davis' outstanding debut Grey Town showcased an artist with tumult. Fortunately, for the listeners it sounds like he hasn't personally worked much out yet. -- Jeff Weiss
Miles of Music
"Roy Davis and the Dregs record Deadweight is not on any of the release lists that bloggers comb for new music to write about. And that’s a shame since this new record highlights one of the best new voices on the roots rock scene.The title song puts much of the emphasis on Davis’ deep, rich, but wavering, vocals. They’re packed with emotion and the moribound lyrical content lend them even more severity. This sophomore effort is a keeper; add it to your collection by clicking here."
Songs: Illinois Music Blog