from The Weekender

Reprinted from SoundCheck Magazine -- Article By Christopher Wade

Would you like to have been at an early show by, say Pearl Jam or Bush when these bands were just getting on their feet? What if I were to tell you that one of them was playing in NEPA? Would you try to go? Yes, you say? I thought so. Go to Jitterbugs on Saturday, March 22nd ... because Fuel is coming to town. If you miss it, you'll be sorry. You'll be sorry on Sunday, when all of your friends tell you how hard Fuel rocked ... and you'll surely be sorry when Fuel is huge.

Porcelain is the new release from Harrisburg's Fuel. If I told you this is a good release, I'd be doing you an injustice. This is a great release. This could, and should, be released by a major label. As is. It's that good.

I've been following Fuel for a while now. I met them at their last show in Edwardsville about a year ago (shame on you if you weren't there). I picked up a copy of their self-titled tape, and it wasn't bad. In fact, it was good; in a 'regional-band-good' kind of way. The leap they've made to record Porcelain is remarkable, and the first track, Ozone Baby is a sign of how far they've come. A scorching power groove courtesy of guitarist Carl Bell drives the song right down your throat. In fact, Bell is all over this record. The guitar sound is incredible. It's heavier than the 1977-era Elvis after his fifth fried banana and peanut butter sandwich. Most major label records don't have production values this high. You can actually hear all of their instruments. The tight rhythm section of Jody Abbott on drums and Jeff Abercrombie on bass lay down a tight, hard backbone for Bell and singer Brett Scallions. Brett has a great rock and roll voice; it's got that grainy characteristic that few people possess. He can be completely melodic without being syrupy sweet, or hard as nails without being grating.

For all of the things that Fuel did right on this release, they should also be congratulated for NOT doing several things wrong. First, they didn't go overboard on ballads. Many regional bands are really heavy live, then release an album full of stuff that betrays their live sound. In fact, Porcelain contains nothing that I'd call a ballad, in a traditional sense, on here. There are two slower songs, Shimmer and Hideaway, but nobody is going to mistake them for Journey. Second, Fuel didn't try to put fifteen songs on their album. Generally, attempting to do this leads to an album with a few good songs and a ton of filler. Porcelain has seven songs. All of them are good. It seems that with most releases, I get to a point where I have to skip over a song because I can't stand it. There's no danger of that here. No skipping, no stopping.

Speaking of Shimmer, radio is all over the song. I dare you to drive through the Harrisburgh area and try not to hear it. Listeners of various radio stations have voted it honors such as Screamer of the Week and made it the number one song nightly on the Top 9 at Nine countdown.

Fuel has been attracting some attention on a national level. They opened for Silverchair last month at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia. They opened for James at both Brownies in NYC and the 9:30 Club in D.C. They just returned from L.A., where they showcased at the world-famous Troubador for a few major labels, who have begun to express interest.

I cannot say enough about this band! You must see them live! They're going to be famous.

I'm not kidding.

Fuel will be performing live at Jitterbugs, outside the West Side Mall, Edwardsville on Saturday, March 22nd with special guests 40 lb. Head and Clove. Doors open at 7 p.m. The music starts at 9 p.m.