A Brief Chat with Albert React

Updated: 08/04/04

Albert React may sound like an emo band at first listen, but one tends to find a good deal of depth and foreboding within their intricate music. From the passionate vocals to the mesmerizing soundscapes, Albert React present a brilliantly vivid adventure to the ears, where repeated listenings are surely encouraged. Prior to the summer, we did a brief email interview with vocalist Gabe Libhart. Read on to find out more about this compelling unit of musicians.

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Albert React, and how long the band has been together?
I'm Gabe and I sing. We've been a band since 2001.

Where is the band from and what is the music scene like there?
Our members are from the Lancaster / Philadelphia areas of PA. Lots of great bands play in both Lancaster and Philadelphia all of the time.

Where did you get the name Albert React? It sounds like the name of a real person.
It's a reference to a psychology experiment by J.B. Watson. Albert is a real person, and his reactions were the focus of Watson's experiment.

If you had to describe your sound to someone who has never heard it before, what would you say?
I usually take the easy way out of that question by referring to us simply as a rock band.

Is there any deep meaning behind the title Confluence and Scrapes?
It's what you make of it, really. It's more of a concept than anything. The lyrics and music are extremely powerful. Where do you get some of the ideas for the lyrics you write?
My favorite songwriters are the ones who are the angriest, saddest, and happiest all on the same album. I think the best songs come from exploring the mood you're in and what you're feeling rather than from attempts to create a mood or sound.

Who did the artwork on the cover of the Confluence CD? How much input did you have on the artwork?
Caleb from Bootcore Grafix. We gave him a very basic idea of what we wanted and he came up with a layout that we are really happy with.

How did the recent tour with Dead Poetic go? Any strange happenings or road horror stories?
The tour with Dead Poetic was actually last winter. On the way to one of the first shows of the tour (Tampa, FLA) our bass player ran over at least five curbs until he blew our trailer tire and stranded us in the middle of Tampa. He insists to this day that it wasn't his fault.

When you listen to your work on the split you did with Sadaharu, what do you think of it now?
It was what we were feeling at the time, and at the time we recorded it, I was excited about it.

What can one expect from a live Albert React show?
Our lead guitarist is really tall and our bass player is Canadian.

While on the road, some guy offers you $100 to perform a cover of Oops I Did It Again by Britney Spears. What do you do?
Considering that it costs $50 right now to fill up our gas tank, I think we'd learn the song and play it.

Recently, your guitarist Justin had left the band. Why was this and has a replacement been found yet?
We parted ways because of creative differences. We've been playing with our friend Jeremy since Justin has left and it's been going really well.

How close is Albert React to recording a new album?
We're planning on scheduling studio time next winter.

All in all, what do you think has set Albert React apart from other rock/emo bands?
I don't think of us as set apart. There are so many great bands making music right now...we feel lucky to have the opportunity to spend our time writing songs and touring.

Confluence and Scrapes by Albert React is now available from Eulogy Recordings!

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