Wilbur

By Will James

The wonderkids in Rockville Center’s indie sensation, Wilbur, are near completion of their first proper EP, to be unveiled in late August.

Wilbur’s balance of smooth and abrasive rock and roll has been sparking interest, and amassing laurels, since 2004. Comprised entirely of 16- and 17-year-old high school students, the band has conquered two local competitions, achieved “Band of the Week” status on bandoftheweek.com and has been broadcast in distant Florida. The upcoming EP, which is currently untitled, will follow last year’s three-track demo, “A Demonstration.” The new release will borrow one song from “A Demonstration,” the dark and tastefully understated “Salamanders.”

“It sounds pretty sick, so I’m really excited for this thing to come out,” said drummer Tommy Davis of Plainview. Wilbur recorded at the famous Loho studios in Manhattan, on the band’s own dime. The EP, which will ultimately feature five or six tracks, has yet to be mixed and mastered.

When it arrives, Long Island can expect something refreshing and strange, at the very least. Davis describes the sound as “ambient” and “experimental,” citing The Mars Volta, As Tall As Lions and The Beatles as influences. But Wilbur’s more prominent qualities are their songwriting sophistication and their retro-garage edge. The young quintet, aside from Davis, features Matt Bevilacqua on bass, Kieran Kriss and Greg Wyler on guitar and Simon Tangney (yes, younger sibling of Jack Tangney of Show Me Action and Post Roman fame) on vocals.

The band calls Rockville Center’s Vibe Lounge their “base.” Before embarking on their EP project, they performed three to five times a month, consistently. The band will be performing their first headlining show at Vibe Lounge on Aug. 3, and they anticipate an EP release event in late August or early September.

You can reach Wilbur at www.myspace.com/wilburband.

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