the wheel workers
Photo by Daniel Jackson
“Morning Song” is a new track from Houston-based band The Wheel Workers. The single comes via their new album, Harbor, and recalls the classic guitar-driven rock of Sonic Youth and R.E.M. with an added contemporary psych-friendly punch.
Sonically “Day After Day” is shape shifting beauty, like something Porcupine Tree might have cooked up after sharing one to many beers with Frank Black and the Pixies. Much like those prog-punk compadres, Higginbotham — with the help of his fellow Wheel Workers, guitarist Craig Wilkins, keyboardist and singer Erin Rodgers, bassist Zeek Garcia, and drummer Kevin Radomski — will more often than not pull the proverbial rug out from under the listener, though always at the service of the song. Toward the final climax of “Day After Day,” you can feel Higginbotham’s anger at his own sense of resignation rise as he howls, “I’ve trained my heart to let go / day after day . . .” over pounding caveman-like groove that finally hits a wall of squelching synths.
“[T]heir latest single, “Suck It Up,” [is] an intense punk rock track with buzzsaw guitars, screaming synthesizers, and just a touch of surf rock that echoes with influences such as the Pixies, the Stooges, and the Dead Kennedys. The song is full of ferocious joyful chaos, catchy melodies and a badass hook that will stick to your brain for days.
The Wheel Workers’ new single “S.O.S.” is an "upbeat, synth-driven track" that "recalls Flaming Lips or Stereolab" and "is timely and thought-provoking."
- Jesse Sendejas, Houston Press
“White Lies/All My Fault, the new split single from Houston-based band The Wheel Workers—may be a pair of songs aimed straight at Donald Trump and the 2016 election, but musically and lyrically, it extends far beyond the political heat of the moment."
- Alex McLevy, The A.V. Club
"They are simultaneously brilliant and down-to-earth, sincerely progressive and catchy as hell, that rare band that can incorporate thoughtful politics into music while keeping things fun and engaging...The Wheel Workers are freaking awesome, and [with Citizens] they’ve gone a very different direction from the path they marched down last time. And it’s good. Oh, is it good." - Jeremy Hart, Space City Rock
"On their third full-length album, Citizens .... is Higginbotham's best and most fully realized set of songs to date." - Chris Gray, Houston Press
"Loving our latest track premiere ["Yodel" by] Houston's brightest hope. Damn. Seriously righteous." - BLURT
"if you happened to miss when I said that this record was top notch, then I’ll just say again that it’s a true masterpiece.." - David Garrick, Free Press Houston
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wheel workers Tour
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Photo by Daniel Jackson
BIO:
The Wheel Workers can be described as less of a singular band and more of a Texas-based underground indie music collective that spans two decades and more than 15 contributing members.
The group is currently composed of lead singer, guitarist, keyboardist, violinist Steven Higginbotham (the longest standing member and group founder), guitarist and keyboardist Craig Wilkins, keyboardist and singer Erin Rodgers, bassist Zeek Garcia and drummer Kevin Radomski. Their latest project, “Harbor,” released August 2022, was recorded over the span of a three year period (interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that Higginbotham was in law school while recording) in Higginbotham’s home recording studio. It also comes after Higginbotham fractured his larynx and thought he would never sing again. Now, nearly three years after the fracture, Higginbotham feels stronger vocally, due to all the work he put in during speech therapy and tailored voice lessons. The record was produced and mixed by their long-time pal, acclaimed producer Dan Workman, who helped shape and craft the songs into their final form, creating a record that showcases the band’s eclectic underground indie rock prowess with fuzzy guitars and synthesizers.
With their latest project the group delves into very personal and profound territory as they explore enduring and overcoming personal, social and political trauma and how the members have come to support each other through their individual experiences.
The band originally got its start in Austin, Texas in the early 2000s (then known as The Wheel Works). The band, led by songwriter, singer, lyricist and frontman Steven Higginbotham, with Giuseppe Ponti on bass, Nathan Maness on drums and Chris Maness and Chad Fontenot on guitar, spent the first few years of the new millennium living together in a house on Houston St., recording music that John Aielli of KUT’s Elektikos called “truly eclectic.” Featuring violin and keyboards along with traditional rock instruments, the band moved seamlessly between catchy indie rock tunes and introspective acoustic ballads on their 2003 debut album. The band then significantly broadened its horizons on 2004’s “How to Fly a Washing Machine,” an album composed entirely of radical post-rock spontaneous improvisations recorded in the band’s in-home studio. The original iteration of the group disbanded in 2005 when Higginbotham moved to Houston, TX, but those original members have contributed regularly to later albums from the group.
After a hiatus and reconfiguring of the band between 2006 – 2010, The Wheel Workers started up again in 2007 when Higginbotham partnered with Craig Wilkins on the release of the group’s next project “Unite” (2010). Shortly thereafter, the band began a longstanding relationship with legendary Houston producer Dan Workman (Beyonce, Lyle Lovett, ZZ Top), who would mix their next three highly acclaimed albums: “Past to Present” (2013), “Citizens” (2015 – referred to as “a true masterpiece” by Free Press Houston), and “Post-Truth” (2018). The first track on Post-Truth, “White Lies,” debuted on The Onion’s A.V. Club, who described the track as “hard-charging...successful political art [that] foregrounds the artistry... [and] musically and lyrically, it extends far beyond the political heat of the moment.” Over the years, the band has been nominated for eight Houston Press Music Awards and their intense and compelling live performances propelled them to stages across the United States, from Milwaukee’s Summerfest to Houston’s Free Press Summerfest, where they had the honor of sharing the stage with artists such as Flaming Lips and Phantogram.
The Wheel Workers have stood the test of time with a career that spans over two decades and a discography that exemplifies their lyrical depth, sonic diversity and has solidified them as an underground indie rock staple of Texas music. Fans of The Wheel Workers, new and old, will be able to find something relatable and true in their newest project, all the while enjoying the indie rock tunes and energy that the group has been bringing to the table for decades. To learn more about The Wheel Workers, please see here. Follow The Wheel Workers on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp and YouTube.
PRESS QUOTES:
“An excellent new album... Melodies that get deep into the folds of your brain.”
— Houston Chronicle
“Soaring guitar solos and dramatic choruses.”
“Reminiscent of Devo, Pixies, Dead Kennedys and The Clash. There’s no denying the eclecticism and idiosyncrasies.”
— KUTX, Austin
“Sincerely progressive and catchy as hell.”
“Sociopolitical consciousness with a memorable hook.”
“A true masterpiece.”
— Free Press Houston
“New Wave synth stylings meet sharp lyrics.”
“The new split single from Houston-based band The Wheel Workers may be a pair of songs aimed straight at Donald Trump and the 2016 election, but musically and lyrically, it extends far beyond the political heat of the moment.”
“The vocals are totally out-of-this-world good. This is one of those cases where the band is doing everything right.”
— Babysue
“Painfully catchy.”
— MAGNET
“Houston’s brightest hope. Damn. Seriously righteous.”
— BLURT
ASSETS:
The Wheel Workers (L-R): Kevin Radomski, Erin Rodgers, Steven Higginbotham, Craig Wilkins, Zeek Garcia.
Photo Credit: Daniel Jackson. Click for hi-res.
