Eugene: Live at the Garage

As passionate as our local scene here in Albuquerque is, there aren’t many bands that take the “less is more” philosophy to heart or, simply, a more chill approach to songwriting.

And not as in a “slow-the-beat-down-during-the-bridge-clap-your-hands” kind of chill. More of like a cosmic intergalactic wave of stardust orbiting Alpha Centauri at the pace of your own soul’s rhythm chill.

Indie neo-soul trio Eugene is the closest thing to that daydream, and they present themselves with wit and poise — an amalgamation of feverish melodies, slick licks and lyrics that poetically illustrate the human experience. Filled to the brim with three musically-trained guitarists:

- Emmanuel Catanzariti on lead, keys and vocals,

- Kendal Jones on bass.

- And Marshall Broyles on drums.

The group re-adapted themselves to play whatever instrument was needed to realize a certain core sentiment, one that is, for the most part, channeled through Catanzariti’s songwriting. It seems like every track was written on a rainy evening in Manhattan, striding through city blocks with a cigarette in one hand and a book of Dorthy Parker poems in the other.

When, in reality, the group couldn’t be more meticulous. Despite a plethora of improvised solos from both Jones and Catanzariti, everything else is on rails with a sense of perfectionism: from the vocals to the delivery to the production to the final result. It may stem from their origins in New Orleans, in which the music scene is much more saturated, intense, ubiquitous and professional.

Catanzariti has since emigrated from Louisiana and snagged two Albuquerque natives on the way, revitalizing his three-piece with an emphasis on the omnipresent southwestern vibe.

Eugene will be releasing their first full-length record “Kush”, in early 2018. Until then, they performed four songs at the unkept Garage to tease some upcoming material.

Audrin Baghaie is the music editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at music@dailylobo.comor on Twitter @AudrinTheOdd.