Music
Cartel Strikes Good Note.
By Baillee Perkins, staff writer
Jan 13, 2007 - 11:20:00 AM

Cartel's new single, Honestly, hit the airwaves last spring and was heard on the 2006 Vans-Warped Tour. Recently, their first full-length cd, Chroma, hit stores.

Cartel consists of Conyers (a town 20 minutes outside of Atlanta), Georgia natives Will Pugh (vocals), Joseph Peppers (guitar), Nic Hudson (guitar), Kevin Sanders (drums), and Jeff Lett (bass). Sanders and Hudson had been friends since third grade, and joined forces with Pugh, Peppers, and Lett in high school. Sanders, Pugh, and Peppers originally formed Cartel in high school, but the band did not technically form until 2003.

In 2004, the band released Ransom, a five song EP. Although the EP did not gain Cartel attention immediately, it did grab the attention of their now record company. This lead to a tour and many live shows after.

In late 2005, Cartel began recording their first full length album (Chroma). Orginally, Chroma was recorded for the record company Militia Group, but was soon picked up by Epic Records which proved the band's potential.

The single Honestly was released in the spring of 2006 gaining instant popularity. The song depics Pugh's painful experiences coping with a break-up.

Cartel's new cd has something for everyone: a pop feel with "Say Anything (Else)," an indie Dashboard Confessional feel with "Save Us," and an experimental feel with the last two songs "Q" and "A." Although some parts of Cartel are unexplainable, lead singer Will Pugh comes very close with a description.

"I think we all wanted to go out and hit a home run right off the bat," says Pugh of the band's musical ambitions.  "We're different in that we're striving to progress and be a good rock band, but still have those pop-punk roots in us.  I think that we're doing something that people might not have heard before. We're just allowing the music to do its own thing, and not holding anything back."

Sources: www.cartelrocks.com