REVIEWS

Jersey Beat
"Illusion," cassette
I’ll be honest. Indus makes the sort of post-hippy jazz rock that usually sends me heading straight for the Pepto Bismal. But in fact, I found this lp-length cassette quite pleasing. The husband/wife team of Bob and Joy Gamache have found a subtle, adult-contempo sound that still manages to offer a lot; Joy’s husky vocals almost resemble an Americanized Nico on the slower tracks, and on the bluesier numbers, she has a nice Bonnie Raitt quality. The songs are well-written, thoughtful, and filled with tasteful guitar and enough rhythmic changes to keep things interesting. Indus reminds me most of bands like Frozen Concentrate and Tiny Lights, who fuse a modern club-rock sensibility with 60's folk and jazz influences. What Mickey Yuck used to call "Rutgersmusic”. - Jim T.


The Aquarian
En Route
In a new age way, this band is annoyingly infectious, especially the buzz saw guitars and steady chaooga rhythms. The Grace Slick-like staccato vocalist spouting her take on the philosophy of life doesn’t make for great entertainment but does provide something to think about. Indus are kind of like medicine: not very good going down but in the long run, good for you.


Jersey Beat
"En Route"

Joy does the singing (extremely well, tool) and most of the writing. Sort of a hard-edged pop sound - short stories set to music. I had it in the player a good week before I even though of playing anything else. One of the best tapes I've received in a while, this gets my highest recommendation.


The Splatter Effect
Kevin Slick

"Indus sets those kinds of moody, Passionate vocals against a background of a new-age folk, heavily influenced by Native American chanting. The instrumentation is thick with acoustic guitars and mandolins ringing away, and accented by bells, shakers, rattles and such. Lyrically, the songs come from the land of self-discovery/fulfillment, self-awareness and potential – quite politically correct."

The Aquarian
Robert Makin

“Joy Gamache, who is at the core of Indus with her 12 string strumming husband Bob, also plays guitar, mandolin, flute, keys, harp, accordion, tambourine, chimes, bell tree and Native American Drum. A multi-talented musician and a deep meaningful song writer ...”


 

East Coast Rocker Interview
Indus take their name from the constellation “The Indian," or Indus. They strive to “create a visual image that expands your awareness," and create "a new approach to new age." Their music sounds like airy rock, very reminiscent of a '60s coffeehouse with a touch of '90s thrown in. Married couple Bob and Joy Gamache are the core of Indus. They write the songs, sing, play guitars, flute, and keyboards, as well as some rare instruments. On their tapes they have the help of several musicians stepping in on various songs playing bass, electric violins, drums and extra keys.

Bob and Joy Gamache, the husband-and-wife musical team which is the core of Indus, categorize their band as cosmic rock with a hard edge and progressive sound.

"Approaching the 'new age’ in a new way,” is how Joy describes their music, which she said creates a “visual image that expands your awareness.” Founded in 1987, Indus has produced one long-playing cassette, “Illusion,” and the recently released extended-play cassette, "Breath.”

The Gamaches, both originally from Middletown and currently residents of the New Monmouth section of the township, met in 1982 and were married one year later. Previously involved in “cover” bands before their marriage, Joy said she began writing original music shortly after their meeting.

“Bob has always been supportive and pushed me to write," said Joy, who writes all the lyrics and collaborates with Bob – a graphic artist who designs Indus’ cover art – on the music.

“I write from personal experience – about what's going on inside me,” she said.

Drawing inspiration from her new-age orientation, Joy describes herself as “very spiritual” and said she tries to bring that through in her music, which often infuses chanting. Choosing Indus, the Indian constellation, as the name of their band, conveys that feeling, according to Joy, who said she feels American Indians live very close to their spirit and in harmony with the environment.

“I meditate to develop lyrics,” Joy said. “I consider myself very introspective. I like to look at the energy behind things.”

With the title track “Breath," Joy said she wanted to create a positive environmental song rather than one focusing on the “fear of the end” and the “approach of doomsday.” Featured at the Howell Earth Day festival April 21, the band wants to convey a positive message that it is not too late to fight to save the environment, she said.

Indus songs were described by “Jersey Beat" magazine as "thoughtful and well-written, and filled with tasteful guitar and enough rhythmic change to keep things interesting; fusing a modern club-rock sensibility with ’60s folk and jazz influences.”

Although hearing comparisons to an "Americanized Nico” (the late drummer with the ’70s art band “The Velvet Underground”) and Bonnie Raitt, Joy said she finds Ann Wilson (of the rock band “Heart”) and Ricki Lee Jones more influential.

Appealing largely to a college-age audience, the Gamaches said their music also draws listeners encompassing a wide range of ages. Hoping to sign with an independent or major record label, Indus is currently playing local festivals and pubs, and plans to soon expand to the New York club scene.

Acknowledging the difficulty of their profession, the Gamaches are nonetheless determined to break into the metropolitan area market, which they said offers a lot of outlets for “alternative music.”


 

 

 

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