By Taylor Long

While most of you sat in your dorms and living rooms during the half-time of the Super Bowl, I sat in Maxwell’s, a restaurant/concert space in Hoboken, NJ, with Two Gallants.

Only in their early 20s, Adam Stephens and Tyson Vogel of Two Gallants already have something to show for their hard work, ingenuity and dreams. What they have is an album called The Throes, which is gaining attention from influential media outlets around the United States.

For this reason, I sat bewildered-because what do you say to someone who’s done something you’ve only done in dreams?

2004’s The Throes has been titled their debut, though they sold self-released CDs at shows before its introduction. It opens with a jaunty cover of Robert Wilkins’ “You Losin’ Out,” which is then juxtaposed with the gorgeous “Two Days Short Tomorrow.” By the time the listener reaches the excitedly confessional “Nothing To You,” all pre-conceived expectations come crashing down with the sound of Vogel’s cymbals.

The epic title track takes you through the story of an abused woman. Similarly, the narrative of the last track, “Train That Stole My Man,” follows the story of a woman dealing with a man gone astray. In both cases, it is difficult to believe that the scenario was so poignantly captured by a man.

Following the title track is “Drive My Car,” which is filled with so many witticisms that it’s difficult to choose which is best. “You don’t listen when he says / that you don’t love him for his brain / but for his head,” it begins lightheartedly, before shifting to a slower pace and more somber lines; “‘it’s hard,’ she said, ‘my fortune’s been quite hard’ / ‘it’s card,’ he said ‘don’t play that victim card.'”

The most impressive thing about The Throes is not Stephens’ sexy drawl that he uses in such a versatile manner, nor is it Vogel’s intense and instinctive drumming that must be heard to be appreciated. Instead, it is the ability of the music to draw out from within you the fears and desires you never acknowledge or are too afraid to admit to. The lyrics perfectly capture and evoke them, while the music showboats them right before your eyes (or in this case, ears).

The media has been largely praiseful of The Throes, and deservedly so. Snobbish indie giant Pitchfork Media gave the album a rave and the infamous Rolling Stone saw fit to give them a brief mention, though no personal review. The two say that slowly, the press seems to be working. “There have been people who have been coming out to the shows that have gotten turned on to us through those things,” Vogel said. “And that’s pretty amazing; to actually think that there’s people with open minds that pay attention to that stuff.”

Two Gallants first began by playing shows on the streets of San Francisco. “We started doing it just cause…there’s a lot of bureaucracy and shit you have to go through, people you have to deal with, and they expect this little made up image,” Stephens says, “playing a little guerilla street show was more automatic, ’cause we’d just plug into the bus stop and get free power off the city.” The street performances proved to be successful. Stephens and Vogel fondly remember a street show where hundreds of people turned up to see Two Gallants and three other bands. They consider it their first big show. “It was free, and just brings you down to this very human level of breathing and walking down the street and seeing people playing music,” Vogel said. Unfortunately, street shows these days have been shut down by police before they have a chance to begin. Having just come off of a shut down house show in Boston the night before the Maxwell’s show, Two Gallants have had their share of interference from the police.

Two Gallants developed some two and a half years ago from a musical collaboration between the two that began when they were in sixth or seventh grade. “We never thought of it consciously like we were going to make it into a band,” Vogel says, “we just stayed up all night drinking and playing music.” Remarkably, the two have known each other since they were about five years old. This rare camaraderie shows in their live performance, as well as in aspects of the music itself.

Their sound is rather atypical of what’s being played in the underground scene(s), let alone the mainstream. It comes as no surprise, then, that the two have a distaste for genres and labels. “I think it’s sad sometimes when people have to go by genre so much and kind of stick to the superficiality of music,” Vogel said. When forced to describe their music, Stephens likens it to a rehab meeting or support group, hoping that listeners are finding something in the music that reaches them. “I just don’t want to be a part of something that doesn’t have some sort of educational or some sort of healing process,” Stephens said. He recounted a story where, at a show in Pennsylvania, a man recently out of rehab expressed the powerful way in which the song “My Madonna,” which contains the line “If liquor’s a lover / you know I’m a whore,” affected him.

Currently, Two Gallants have been touring with fellow Californians Rogue Wave. “All the shows have been really fun, they’re really awesome guys,” Stephens said of Rogue Wave. “They’re also a little bit older than us, too, so they have a bit of a developed view on things.”

The duo’s favorite thing about touring is staying up until six in the morning every night. As fun as it may sound, though, touring is also strenuous, as they drive themselves everywhere-making driving their least favorite part of tours. Well, along with bathrooms with no doors.

As for what the future may present, Two Gallants will appear at the monstrous music festival, South By Southwest (SXSW), in March. They’re also looking for a bassist, and “we’re kind of in the process of trying to figure out how to do this next collection of songs,” Vogel said.

All in all, Two Gallants have taken on their talent and impending success in a noble way. “I feel it’s our duty in a way,” Stephens profoundly stated, “because we’re fortunate enough that some people seem to like our music, and-why stop? It really bothers me when people are really talented and just kind of mess it up ’cause they don’t care about it.”

Among their many charms, perhaps their most endearing quality is their dedication to themselves and their music. “I have no respect for anyone who changes their style to ‘make it’ or make money,” Stephens said. Vogel added, “I don’t think it’s ever really easy just to say follow yourself and take advice, but also be true. That’s very ideal-but I think it’s really important; especially in regards to art and music.”

If there’s any proof that Stephens and Vogel stand up to the chivalrous band name they’ve chosen from James Joyce’s Dubliners, it’s the fact that when someone announced that openers Sam Champion were playing to a very small group of people, they rushed in to the show room before their dinners were served to show support. If that’s not a sign of grace and consideration, perhaps the fact that they were kind enough to offer me a ride is.

For more information on the band, turn to their official web site, www.twogallants.com.

San Francisco´s Two Gallants write epic tales and music that will leave you gasping for air. (Image courtesy www.twogallants.com)