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.

"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.”