"With its semicountrified, punk-influenced music that recalls Neil Young, Clem Snide, the Flaming Lips, and an assortment of '90s alternarock bands, the group doesn't simply pull off acoustic trio rock, it makes it seem natural."
-- The Boston Globe | read the entire article

"Without settling too comfortably into any one particular niché of the contemporary folk-rock scene Three Cheers for the Cheated is a big step up from Fancy Trash's debut, showcasing the band's strengths on 11 varied, energetic songs."
-- All Music Guide | read the review

"Acoustic rock with a punk aesthetic retains an ironic charm, especially when tackled with the sloppy idealism of a band like Fancy Trash."
-- Nashville Scene | read the entire article

"If you think 'white trash' is artists' sketch pads and torn envelopes, the term 'fancy trash' might give you pause. Get over it. Fancy Trash isn't the refuse from Porter Street Townhouse residents or discarded Evian bottles, but rather the name of an excellent band out of Northampton, Mass."
-- The Portsmouth Herald | read the entire article

"On Three Cheers, Fancy Trash revels in their contradictions. They could have gone the 'folk' direction to be popular or the 'angst' direction to be cool. Instead, they just decided to record their best songs. In the process, they found themselves, and put out a fine record while they were at it."
-- Jon Reed Goes Off On | read the review

"The CD achieves a cleaner, clearer sound without losing the urgency the band achieves in concert. The politically-charged opener, "Chickenhawk," and the title track are album highlights which capture Houghton's jittery, Neil Young-after-a-few-too-many-cappuccinos vocals, and Thayer's warm, upright bass runs along with Ben Laine's subtly inventive drumming."
-- Brattleboro Reformer | read the entire article

"Those familiar with the folksy, rootsy, twang of Fancy trash will be thrilled with the new work.  The bands gets more out of three pieces than one might imagine and when prompted Thayer says the band will keep its current format."
-- The Republican | read the entire article

"Fancy Trash has turned out so far two CDs of songs that are lean in terms of power and gimmicks, but rich in instrumentation and verbal imagination. ... See what you can hear in the lyrics to the songs on the excellent new CD, 'Three Cheers for the Cheated.'"
-- Daily Hampshire Gazette | read the entire article

"If Fancy Trash is all about the common man, its music is crafted by an uncommonly talented band.  As evidenced by disc opener "Chickenhawk" alone, Thayer moves as offortlessly from bowing to finger-plucking on his upright bass as drummer Ben Laine navigates the trio from aggressive, driving beats to tricky time changes.  Throughout Three Cheers you'll encounter similarly impressive passages of sparse, jangling guitar riffs (like the title song) and nifty, chicken pickin' banjo ("Early Bus"). "
-- Valley Advocate | read the entire article

"Houghton's heartfelt lyrics and impassioned vocals are but two of the band's strengths. What pushes everything over the top is how he and the rhythm section of Thayer and Laine can gather strength and whip up a storm, becoming something much more formidable than just three guys playing a song."
-- Local Buzz | read the entire article

"First Thoughts: Three Cheers for the Cheated -- With each recording this band just gets better and better. This time around Fancy Trash reaps the benefits of great mastering and production. The result is an album that feels more polished without losing that gritty edge you have come to expect from three guys from the valley. Standouts: Dramatic album-opener "Chickenhawk," "Tulips," "Lost In The Evening." I am adding it to my must-have list for 2006."
-- Masslive.com

"...this band, in their own right, are really something. Their latest EP, Weighted Down, is a mouthwatering taste of what’s to come on their forthcoming LP.  From start to finish you yearn to just sit still and listen to what happens next."
-- Northeast Performer | read the review

"Also on the bill Saturday will be Fancy Trash from Northampton who have an excellent new EP of seven songs called 'Weighted Down.' ... Fancy Trash is a terrific rock trio featuring Dave Houghton on vocals and acoustic guitar, Josh Thayer on upright bass and Ben Laine on drums. This band is impressive because they rock out without electricity and Houghton is a brilliant front man and lyricist whose aching tenor warble brings to mind Bright Eyes or Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes."
-- Daily Hampshire Gazette | read the entire article

"It's not surprising that the songs on Weighted Down are good. What is surprising is how well they hold up together. Weighted Down is much more cohesive than your typical collection of outtakes. With its no-frills production and naked emotional themes, Weighted Down forms a musical bridge between the first CD (the self-titled Fancy Trash) and Three Cheers for the Cheated. Without Weighted Down, we might have wondered how Fancy Trash got from their more conventional first record to their more radical second release. The EP shows us how: through the emergence of a darker world view and a more aggressive sound. But some of that story is still to come. Weighted Down brings us inside that process, with personal reflections that will turn into a new kind of resolve on the upcoming Three Cheers."
-- www.jonreed.net | read the review

"The band's country-folk-rock sound has a Crazy Horse-esque feel, and singer/guitarist Dave Houghton's voice has something of Young's lilting, near-falsetto.  Fancy Trash's sound is also decidedly modern, with an energy that teeters on the edge of grunge and punk.  Maybe most importantly, though, is that the energy and passion on Weighted Down makes me think these guys must put on a killer live show."
-- Local Buzz | read the review

"Featuring a singer with a voice that rewards repeat listenings and a rhythm section that always knows where it's going ... with this kind of solid material to work from, it sounds far more exciting than the typical coffeehouse trio."
-- Niagara Gazette | read the entire article | read the review

"As Dave Houghton started spazzing out on his acoustic guitar, squawking notes that don't belong in a 'nice' song, drummer Ben Laine tried to break his cymbals, and soon Josh Thayer rocked his upright bass back and forth like he'd run out of Ritalin.  The audience sat google-eyed below the stage, slightly in awe and slightly frightened that maybe the band wouldn've pull out of the frenzy.  This is the Fancy Trash formula, with minor tweaking from one song to the next.  Throw in the occassional harmonica honk, a few dozen pop hooks, and you've got some damn fine freeform folk."
-- Northeast Performer | read the entire article

"Fancy Trash has taken on an underrepresented genre in contemporary independent music and made something truly unique ... the three members are so much on the same page, it's almost scary."
-- Northeast Performer | read the entire article | read the review

"Fancy Trash had done their trademark Clark Kent/phone booth/Superman routine, the point during each gig where they push beyond obvious influences, bust out of the confines of Americana, and become something else entirely. Something to reckon with."
-- www. jonreed.net | read the entire article

"Maybe [the name] speaks to the underlying punk vibe of the music. Or the stripped-down rustic alterna vibe. Come to think of it, there are a few vibes going on in Fancy Trash’s wistful and insistent acoustic rock. Like, for example, the synergy between the three members of the band, who fret and sigh on their instruments in total unison."
-- www.richmond.com