Down West

DOWN WEST is a psychedelic folk rock trio. Featuring songwriter Steve Stanard on guitar and harmonica, Theo Waddell on drums, and percussion, and Michael Marquez on bass, it’s the kind of indie music that could only be grown in Southern California. 

Down West is released Horror Vacui Part 1 in July of 2022, and Horror Vacui Part 2 in November 2022, a two part EP collection of late 20th century alternative influenced songs.

"Down West has captured Folk-Rock at its essence, from tone all the way to it's short, focused lyrical delivery, still full of impact from loaded poetic references like "a swine-resistant pearl," "smoking engines laughing," and a "sea of human purpose." Elements like the inclusion of harmonica pay homage to the band's musical ancestors, while the driving bass line presents something current, living, and fresh, unexpected yet certainly not out of place. The band's compositional choices do a great job of varying more stark, poignant passages with the track's warmer, more inclusive refrain, and continues to build with the addition of harmonica and supplementary vocal layers in a sonic representation of the wave of environmental activism they describe. The outro is a warm continuance of the through thread of bass, and gives a sense of continuation and life to the track that lives on, even after it has ended."

–Review of "A Billion Strong" by Mary Wildsmith at RadioAirplay.com