What's Up! Magazine

So Adult is comprised of Keith Carmack (bass), Bo Stewart (drums), Bobby Yost (guitar) and Joe Olmstead (guitar/vocals). Courtesy photo

Music scenes have a general ebb and flow to them ups and downs times when there are more bands making great music versus times when there’s a lull. As Bellingham begins what appears to be another boom, So Adult promises to be a band that leads the pack. Sounding like the Replacements without being contrived, So Adult bring a fresh and fun element to the music scene while cranking out inspired rock ‘n’ roll.

So Adult initially came together when Joe Olmstead (guitar, vocals), Alex Frank (drums) and Keith Carmack (bass also plays in Envision) were talking about “having a band that ripped off early Replacements stuff that we love.” Though Joe was still a novice at the guitar, the band started playing music in the garage and writing songs. They brought in good friend and all around epic musician, Bo Stewart, to play “Bob Stinson type stuff.” It didn’t take long before Bo had to back out of the band due to time constraints. (Bo also plays in the Shook Ones and Brownes Condition while also touring with Kasey Anderson and BOAT.) So Adult recruited Bobbie Yost, guitarist for Mysterious Chocolate and Horror Business, and the band was ready to bring their “ripped off” sound to the masses of Bellingham.

It was apparent, though, even at their first house show in January, that So Adult was more than just a copy-cat version of the Replacements while they borrowed heavily from the band, their sound managed to be refreshing and good instead of recycled and contrived.

As winter turned to spring, though, it was time for Alex to move out of town, leaving So Adult without a drummer. Bo Joe’s roommate and the band’s former guitarist figured he had the time as long as he was playing drums, so the new and improved So Adult was born.

With a handful of songs under their belt, So Adult went into Two Sticks Recording Studio (owned by Jason McGerr, drummer for Death Cab for Cutie) to lay down songs with Jackson Long, formerly of Racetrack and currently the drummer of BOAT. “It was a blast,” an excited Olmstead stated. “He squeezed us in for a half day and we cranked out four songs.” The bulk of the recording was done at the studio, with extra guitar added on in the basement of 20th century bowl and the vocals done in the band’s garage all recorded by Jackson.

While the band isn’t shy about their Replacements influence, Joe notes that they aren’t trying to be an exact copy. “We’re certaintly not drunk enough to be true to the Replacements,” he said, adding, “The thing I like about the Replacements is how catchy some of their riffs are the song will just stick in your head.” It’s that element of the band that Joe and So Adult are in tune with. “We’re just trying to write stuff that will stick in your head.”

The So Adult sound, though, is “crunchier,” according to Joe, citing influences by Dinosaur Jr, The Lemondheads and the Descendents. “I hate the term pop punk,” said Joe, laughing, “but that’s a lot of stuff we listen to.” Instead, he likes to consider their band gritty pop or punk pop.

This winter, the band will work on recording a full length, which Joe says is about half written. From there, So Adult will hit the road, touring in the early spring heading to the Midwest where they’ll play the Replacements’ home town of Minneapolis.

Until then, So Adult will continue to be a fun new band on the music scene. “We want to be light hearted, but we don’t want to be a joke band. We want to write music with heart even if we’re just having fun. We’re having fun because we want to.”

For more check them out on Nov 21 at the Old Foundry. For more visit myspace.com/soadultnow