Wayne Robbins and The Hellsayers is a psychedelic-folk-rock band based in Asheville, North Carolina. The band is Wayne Robbins (vocals and guitars, and principal songwriter), Jeff Whitworth (lap steel, guitars, banjo), Jonas Cole (guitars and keys), Erich Hubner (bass) and Josh Carpenter (drums). Their first album, The Lonesome Sea, was released on De'll Orso Records in London to critical acclaim (Uncut magazine gave it four stars), and it was independently released by the band in the U.S. The band completed a successful tour of Europe in May 2007 in support of Band of Horses, playing gigs at such high-profile venues as Scala in London, Vera in Groningen, and Tivoli in Utrecht. The Hellsayers have shared the stage with Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket, Smog, Magnolia Electric Company, Chris Robinson (Black Crowes), Tyler Ramsey, Apples in Stereo, The Long Winters, Oakley Hall, Dalek, Deerhunter, Bloodkin, Hopewell, The High Dials, Benji Hughes, Summer Hymns, The Houstons, Wooden Birds (American Analog Set), Drug Money, and many more. In October 2009, the band recorded a 4 song EP (tentatively titled "Banana Shark") with producer Brent Rademaker (of Beachwood Sparks) at Rademaker's home studio in Tampa, FL. The Hellsayers are currently shopping their finished second album, All You Need To Sleep, (co-produced by Wayne Robbins and Morgan Kraft) to labels in the U.S.
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UNCUT MAGAZINE REVIEW: "[The Lonesome Sea is the] Enticing dream rock debut from Carolina-based cosmic cowboys. A genuinely inspired merging of pre-electric and post psychedelic Americana. Neil Young and Giant Sand provide pointers, but Wayne & Co chart a spry, original course" (4/5 stars) Uncut Magazine
STOMP & STAMMER REVIEW (by Fred Mills): "It happens at exactly two minutes and twenty-three seconds into Jesus, the third song on the debut platter from Asheville's Wayne Robbins & the Hellsayers. Up to that point you've been gently, pleasurably lulled by a dreamy slice of cosmic cowboy folk-rock (Time Is A Bird In Your Eyes, which recalls both My Morning Jacket and The Byrds' Notorious Byrd Brothers and is sun kissed by a haunting electric lap steel motif) and a Wilco-meets-Neil Young pop nugget (Sarah's Lament, part Summerteeth and part After the Goldrush, Robbins' keening vocals ultimately tipping the scales more in the direction of the latter). And for the first half of Jesus the band maintains this low key, melodic vibe, the only hint of disquiet Robbins' crossroads-reaching, self-probing lyrics: Jesus, I don't want to be free anymore/ each day I find/ that the ground/ is pulling me down.
The earth splits wide open-or is it the Rapture, granting Robbins his wish? in a massive spasm of feedback, white noise and fret board frissons: Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine hop the expressway to yr skull. It's a beautiful violence, that Young & Crazy Horse might perversely employ, or the kind of derailment Howe Gelb sometimes delights in when his band Giant Sand is at full boil. Elsewhere you'll encounter a wealth of diverse moments: Queen Anne's Revenge, with baroque banjo, is twang-noir, Forgiveness, a hypnotic bit of Clean/Yo La Tengoish drone pop; and Edith's Dream, a bluesy, modal, psychedelic waltz straight out of Quicksilver Messenger Service territory (cue more feedback). Throughout, the Hellsayers remain focused, stitching together myriad strands of Americana and Amer-indie while demonstrating a healthy disregard for pop platitudes. Featuring songwriter Robbins' passionate, keening upper register (add MMJ's Jim James to the prior Young comparison), the twin guitar front line of Jonas Cole and Jeff Whitworth (the latter's also the lap steel wielder) and the sturdy rhythm section of Brian Landrum (drums) and Joe Burkett (bass), the Hellsayers are one of the most gifted outfits to emerge from the Western North Carolina mountains since The Blue Rags (on SubPop) in the mid/late 90s. There's definitely more to this merry band of mountaineers than meets the eye or ear." - Fred Mills (Stomp & Stammer)