We Plug To You… Bonaventure

Nashville-based Alternative Rock band Bonaventure is made up of Dan Smyersand Andrew Albert, both of whom are already well known in the music world to their respective fans – Andy is the lead singer of Pop-Punk band Holiday Paradewhile Dan is a successful solo singer and guitarist in his own right. The pair met up about a year and a half ago in Miami, Florida and after realising that they were both heading down the same path musically, began to explore and share a few song ideas between themselves over the internet. That path as well as the initial exploration and sharing of ideas eventually led to the formation of Bonaventure and both artists moving to Nashville, Tennessee – the city of such great songwriters asJohnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix – to create what they call “Rock with a Southern flavour“.

Their music is influenced by other Country music stars such as Bob Dylan andTom Petty as well as rock legends such as Bryan Adams. Taking inspiration from these artists, Bonaventure create some pretty amazing music which can be described as a mellow middle between modern Country and energy-driven Rockmusic that centres around clever lyrics, honest song writing, lush acoustic guitar arrangements mixed in with a genuine Rock edge. Their debut single “These Shoes” is an acoustic-based feel good song which sounds like something we should be listening to on a Summer road trip. The lyrics of which, are simple but clever analogies that create a very vivid imagery for the listener as pertaining to heartbreak or moving on: “The view from the bottom of the well, down here it’s cold as hell, it’s true. I’m gonna make these shoes, take me far away from you”. Those lyrics could also relate to the singers’ past endeavours and how they are moving on to their new project with Bonaventure.

Even though the band have recently been compared to the likes of Kings of Leonand artists like Ryan Adams, they are probably even more similar to indie bands such as Mumford and Sons and The Fray with also a striking similarity toFightstar frontman and ex-Busted member Charlie Simpson. Dan and Andy haven’t forgotten their roots in 90’s Pop/Rock either, they grew up on the likes ofMatchbox 20, Our Lady Peace, and Third Eye Blind, and you can definitely hear these 90’s influences in their own music.

According to the band’s EPK, the band is named after a street in Atlanta, Georgia called “Bonaventure Ave” but that hasn’t stopped fans – who presume the band’s name is derived from the medieval Italian Franciscan Saint and one of the greatest Doctors of the early Church, St. Bonaventure– from labelling the band as a Christian Rock band, a title that neither Dan nor Andy have publicly acknowledged or denied.

In a recent interview with Pup Fresh, both Andy and Dan attest to wanting to make great music for as long as the band lasts and wanting to take Bonaventure further than any other project they have previously been involved with. More importantly, the duo “just want to write songs that we can really connect with, and not get sick of playing two years down the line“. Although no date has been set for their album release, Bonaventure are constantly demoing, writing and recording songs for the record and hopefully with the release of their new single “I Dare You”, a full length album should not be too far away.

Purchase: Bonaventure – “These Shoes” // “I Dare You” (iTunes)

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Tim Osbourne