The Del-Viles release debut album

Minneapolis-based trio The Del-Viles make rock music with an uncompromising enthusiasm that feels built for crowded rooms and loud speakers. Made up of Ethan Ray on vocals and guitar, Gabs on bass and Dan on drums, the band operates as a tightly focused three-piece whose sound leans into the gritty vibes of garage rock, serving up a straightforward energy that prioritises movement and attitude, drawing from earlier rock traditions while keeping one eye on the present.

At the centre of the group is frontman Ethan Ray, a musician who first began developing his performance talents during his time at university. Before The Del-Viles came together, Ray had been performing in the band Pyrate, where he began forging the stage presence and songwriting style that would eventually shape his work with the trio.

The band’s story properly began in 2019 when the three musicians entered the studio together to explore the chemistry of their combined influences, quickly discovering a shared appetite for guitar-driven music that embraced both vintage swagger and bluesy aesthetic. Unveiling their shared sonic vision with the debut single “Sheena Is a Pirate,” they followed up with their sophomore outing “Johnny Girl” and their first EP, Daydreamer, which landed in 2023.

Following a brief hiatus from sharing their sound, in January this year, they returned with new material, dropping their single “Two-Tone Dress,” the lead single lifted from their brand new debut full-length record titled It’s Just a Kiss-Off. The album itself captures the band’s straightforward philosophy, delivering a loud and danceable garage rock record that channels inspiration from the sharp style of 1960s mod alongside the punchy revival energy associated with the early 2000s rock resurgence.

The eleven-track album was recorded last summer at Greenway Studios in Minneapolis with Cody Owen and Skeeter Casad overseeing the sessions. Kicked off with “The City,” the crash of crunchy guitar chords and rustling drums injects bursts of energy before launching into an uptempo blues rock jam led by Ethan’s commanding vocal leads. “What You Got” brings the swing of laid back bluesy grooves as twanging guitars, pulsing bass and steady drums underpin Ethan’s raspy voice to form an engrossing rock outing packed full of rhythm and swagger.

Lead single “Two-Tone Dress” lands with the intricate plucks of guitar notes, tapped hi hats and stomp of bass notes, gliding with expressive vocal leads and gritty chords to form a smokey blues rock groover brimming with catchy hooks and energising arrangement. Other highlights on the record include tracks like ” If I Might If I May” with it’s belted vocal lines, danceable grooves and slick riffs.

“Skeleton” lays down pulsing energy where the rumble of bass, flicker of dirty guitar riffs and splash of rolling drums all collide to forge a charging blues rock jam that’s original and memorable from start to finish. With “Go Figure,” the lively patter of drums and electric buzz of guitar form a driving rock n’ roll scene as Ethan’s magnetic vocals soar above to cast a slice of raucous music. The rousing energy of “I Hate You” delivers one final blast of thrilling rock energy before closing track “River Seine” arrives as a delicate acoustic moment, reframing the band’s songwriting in a stripped back setting, offering a tender finale to an incredible debut album from The Del-Viles.

Listen to It’s Just a Kiss-Off below