Press

St. Petersburg Times - July 17, 2005
In Our Own Back Yard Series :: Audio Files
SUNDAY ARTS CD Review of Tonight & Tomorrow (Vital Records)
By: Brian Orloff

Four Star Riot gets a lot of attention from bay area radio, and that's because the band's rocking sound - all surging guitars and thrashing drums - will appeal to fans of bands like Good Charlotte or even Green Day.
Singer Steve Alex delivers his lyrics with a gritty snarl, and songs like Get What U Give, a rough bit of power- pop, feature big, catchy hooks.

There's enough energy and momentum here to ensure you'll be rocking out, especially on Punchdrunk with its slingshot of a guitar riff. But on tracks like Golden Age, the band fades out the raucous guitar work, settling on a gauzy, mid- tempo groove that befits the tune's reflective lyrics.

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Weekly Planet March 31, 2005
Music Feature | The Good, The Bad, The Local
by: Scott Harrell

I never get sick of FSR singer Steve Alex's voice. It's got that classic rock 'n' roll blend of sensitivity and swagger. That personality has always informed this Clearwater rock act's music to a certain extent as well, but the addition of veteran local guitarist and vintage rock/power-pop fanatic Finn Walling has brought it out in full force.

Tonight & Tomorrow is a sweet, salty, and pretty much perfect marriage of character and sound. Virtually everything from the Cheap Trick-indebted opener "Get What U Give" through the powerfully aching closing ballad "Golden Age" does much more than work - this is the whole pop-rock package, without sounding too, you know, packaged. (www.fourstarriot.com) ****1/2

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Friday Extra, March 18, 2005
Tonight & Tomorrow (VITAL) B+
Tampa Tribune CD Review
By: Curtis Ross

Gamblers looking to wager on Tampa's next big break-out band should consider Four Star Riot a safe bet.

Led by charismatic front man Steve Alex, the band furhter hones its poppy, punk-inspired hard rock on this, its third CD (after 2003's The Best Things, and 2001's Soulsystem, the band's old name)

Guitarist Finn Walling echoes the main riff of opener "Get What U Give" with some tortured squalls; Alex spits out a wonderfully gutsy vocal.  Hand Claps juice the beats of bassist Johnny Deliz and drummer Mike Chilton on "Tell Me Tomorrow," while the lovely, midtempo "Beautiful Soul" is the album's highlight. "Golden Age" provides a suitably dramatic closer.

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March 2005 Issue #105
DRUM Magazine New Blood feature:

MIKE CHILTON:

Equipment: Yamaha drums and hardware, Zildjian and Paiste cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, Remo heads, Shure mics, SKB cases.

Mike Chilton took up drumming at ten, sponging worthy influences from John Bohnam, Steve Gadd, Mitch Mitchell, Jeff Porcaro, Stewart Copeland, and Pete Thomas.  It all comes into play with Chilton’s current band, the Tampa Bay-based Four Star Riot, who have won several local listener and critic polls, and their 2003 CD Soulsystem was named among the Top 25 Demos by Los Angeles Music Exchange magazine.  Their current release tonight&tomorrow is straight ahead feel-good bar rack at its best, featuring equally sprite drumming from Chilton. “Tell Me Tomorrow” has a happy-go-lucky, dare I say, Tommy Tutone vibe about it (more Teen Angel Eyes than 867-5309), complete with handclaps.  Chilton peppers the semi-reggae “Punchdrunk” with interesting accents, and settles into a lazy groove on the dynamic ballad “Beautiful Soul”. On the Cheap Tricky “Ready & Waiting” he displays a particularly nice Bun E. Carlos bounce, and has that sweet falling-down-a-flight-of-stairs fill thing down cold.  During the day, Chilton passes that rocking spirit on to the youth, as he teaches an average of 50 drum lessons a week at the Drum Cellar in Clearwater , FL.   “If you’re not in a signed band,” he says “I can’t think of having a better job.”

Jan. 28, 2005
Tampa Bay Times feature
By: Slobodan Juric

MEET FOUR STAR RIOT: In their late 20s and early 30s, this 7-year-old quartet simply isn't complete without frontman Steve Alex, who plays guitar and sings; Finn Walling, who also plays guitar and sings; Johnny Deliz (born in Puerto Rico) plays bass; and Mike Chilton is on drums.. click here to read the full feature

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Sept 17, 2004
Sarasota Herald Tribune feature
By: Abby Weingarten

ST. PETERSBURG -- Will the larger sphere embrace Tampa Bay band Four Star Riot? If the quartet's success in this microcosm is any indication, the stars are definitely in its favor.

The 6-year-old band holds lofty hopes for its future, including branching out of South Florida and into the big time.

Four Star Riot, which divides its time between St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater, has prolifically cranked out 30 tracks on three CDs, creating an impressive discography on its independent label, Vital Records. click here to read the full interview

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Sept 01, 2004
Planet Verge feature
By: Bruce Moore

                             Taking Tampa Bay by Storm

These are the words of Steve Alex, front man of the rock quartet Four Star Riot that is taking the Tampa Bay music scene by storm.  After spending the last two years playing with national bands such as Nine Days, Lit, Sum41, Sugarcult, and Alien Ant Farm, they are set to release their new CD on September 27. Four Star Riot plan on taking their brand of rock 'n roll to a national level. Steve and the other members of Four Star Riot; Mike Chilton, Johnny Deliz, and Finn Walling have built a  strong local following based on their high energy in-your-face live performances. With the release of the new CD and a subsequent tour they are hoping to share that energy with the rest of the country. Despite the lack of a big label push, their previous releases continue to do well and the live shows are attracting large crowds. Steve Alex recently took a break from recording to sit down and talk about the new CD, the band’s live show, and his views on the music industry in general. click here to read the full interview

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Feb 23, 2003
St. Petersburg Times CD Review
By: Gina Vivinetto
FSR is one of the most polished acts one the Tampa Bay area music scene. The band plays tightly crafted power pop, a little grittier than that of Train and Third Eye Blind, with bouncy beats and bass that recall the Police. The Best Things offers 11 songs from This Can’t Be All, with its subtle ska rhythms and noirish guitar, to the greasy There It Goes, which finds singer-guitarist Steve Alex love-starved and bitter. The Best Things’ material is radio-ready: likeable licks, catchy hooks, sing-along choruses. The band, for better or worse, even serves a bona fide power ballad in Lose Myself, with enough sap to make all but the tough girls’ hearts sticky. Best cut: the Stonesy Something So Right, complete with sing-along “hoo-hoo” backing vocals and a whistling Hammond B-3.

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Weekly Planet 12/18/02
Music Feature | Tampa Bay Tuneage
by: Scott Harrell
Energetic Pinellas power-pop quartet Four Star Riot's urgent, hooky material is never worse than good. They're at their best, however, when injecting attitude and idiosyncratic elements like the surf melody and Police-esque syncopation of "this Can't Be All" into the fray. The Best Things largely splits its time between those kind of intriguing moments and the foursquare, stripped-bare pop-rock of the title track, "There It Goes" and "All For One." They handle the basic stuff better than most, thanks in large part to Steve Alex's masterful vocal persona, but the slightly more inventive tuneage of "Save the Day," "It's Been A Long Time" and the aforementioned "This Can't Be All" stands way out. The Stones-y "Something So Right" is a bonus. Damn, this one's almost good enough to make me stop giving them shit about playing the occasional cover stint...

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Ranked TOP 25 DEMO submitted to MC in 2002
MUSIC CONNECTION Vol XXXVI No.4 03/03/02
A guitar-driven, Florida based, melodic pop-rock foupiece, FSR have studied their genre well, coming up with a crafty, self-assured, and thoroughly listenable disc. The best tune, "Brand New Heart" really pumps to the extremities; "Don't Wanna Know is another solid regular-guy outing with strong vocals that remind us of a cross between Bryan Adams and Everclear's Art Alexakis. "Celebrate Tonight" seals the deal for us.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE
The Best Things CD Review
(November 2002) Issue 187
Four Star Riot clicks on so many different levels, its a wonder how they manage to contain it all instead of shearing off into two bands. On one hand you have a stellar power pop unit that plugs away at poignant melodies and tense, cathartic arrangements. The other portion is loud and rowdy and turbulent. Somehow they manage to cram both inspirations into a hard rock variant that's catchy and underground without hedging any cred between the two. In a summery season of strong local albums, FSR's disc holds a distinction for its potent sound and wicked backbeat. As if this couldn't be an endless list; nice distorted burn and slash quotient to the guitars, Steve's resilient voice with its roadburn scratch, lyrics beyond that awkward stage, and a warm friendly sound that hugs you around the ribcage- while its emptying a beer on your head. Four stars, four breadsticks, the infamous No Clubs four-pack of Pabst, the max.

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Friday Extra, Nov 8, 2002 B
Tampa Tribune CD Review
By: Curtis Ross
Last Year's eponymous album by Soulsystem was the work of a fine, tight band searching for its identity. That band returns with a new name and an enhanced personality.
Sure, the influences are still easy to spot, particularly on the Stonsey "Something So Right." But the soulful feel works, with Steve Alex's lusty vocal leading the way.
The whole disc shows the band's growth. there's a looseness and a swagger that wasn't present before, evidence of a band confident enough to swing. Tony Purnell's lead guitar work rings and soars, and bassist Johnny Deliz and drummer Mike Chilton have jelled into a first-rate rhythm section.

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Weekly Planet
BEST OF THE BAY 2002 Sept 2002
ACT MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED
Energetic power-pop foursome Four Star Riot originally made a name for themselves in the Bay area as SoulSystem, and were runners-up in last year's Readers' Poll for both Best Original After two full-length discs of originals and God only knows how many cover sets, however, the group got a new name to go with its more finely-honed sound, an upbeat, hooky brand of guitar-pop that at times vaguely recalls '80s vibes — from The Police to Rick Springfield. It's very good stuff, and given our eternal elitist grudge against original bands that deign to turn a buck doing the cover-circuit thing, we find ourselves digging them more than we want to. With the likes of Jimmy Eat World and Something Corporate seeing massive radio success, FSR's catchy chops could definitely make them a contender. And their slightly modish look couldn't possibly hurt at this juncture, either.

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MUSIC CONNECTION Vol XXVI No.22 11/10/02
Formerly known as Soulsystem, this Florida foursome are now on their third self-released album, and it shows in the assured playing and the slick songcraft of their original tunes. What stands out as well is the band’s old-school (i.e., Eighties) pop-rock attack, which, topped by singer Steve Alex’s melodic rasp, reminds us of acts like Plimsouls and Bryan Adams… We think the tunes on this collection will be of interest to Music Supervisors.