By: Cody DeMatteis
Rating: 5/11

From the opening acoustic strums of Shoulders of Giants's self-titled debut (2010 – self released), listeners get a good sense of what they're in for throughout the entirety of the album.  The introductory song “Code of a Madman” spirals in with a few layers of acoustic guitar, equally acoustic bass and skittering mid-tempo rock drumming.  Much of what is to follow adheres to a similar form, each track taking on slight stylistic touches to set them apart from falling into inherent sameness.  Overall, the ever present acoustic guitar and the particular style of David Wilke's drum fills makes much of the album seem burdened with a Dave Matthews Band overtone which could be off-putting to those not predisposed to that particular take on rock. 

Brad Hammond, one half of the NYC based violin and guitar duo Brazz Tree as well the songwriter behind Shoulders of Giants, is certainly skilled at what he does.  The deft guitar work serving as the spine of “Above The Crowd” is certainly something played by a man who, as Brad seems to be from his reputation, someone who understands the complexity of the guitar.  Overall the album stays pretty relaxed; even with “Alive,” one of the more aggressive songs on Shoulders of Giants, the pinnacle is only fueled by a brief, electric guitar squawl accompanying a later chorus. As the album never really gets the blood rising for too long, it seems the goal of Shoulders of Giants is to keep it mellow.  The finer moments on the album embrace that calm fully and incorporate a delicate swell of cello, provided by Marika Hughes.  This affords the music a beneficial depth, particularly with the somber “Through It All.”  The added warmth that the instrument brings helps fend the album's acoustic domination.

For what shortcomings the album has, it is smartly produced.  Each new element added to the base stew of drums, guitar and vocals is treated well, as with the subtle keyboards in “Pain is our Measure” and the aforementioned cello.  Shoulders of Giants fall close in tone to indie rock successes The Dodos, but the difference lies in where each band finds their influences.  The shortfall of this band is that it feels like they're pulling from less unconventional references, with Tom Crowley's sometimes plainted vocals and the straightforward drumming.  There are definitely people that this will appeal to, as the aesthetic at work speaks to an era of acoustic guitar rock that rests in the past.

Shoulders of Giants finds enough variations on the midtempo acoustic form to keep from getting stale over the course of its 28 minute runtime.  Those who gravitate to their sound with little effort will find a smartly produced record that will sate their needs for acoustic jams to accompany their contemplative moments, but it might be a harder sell for those seeking something different. 

Café Orwell
By: Joseph Mulkerin

Girls in Trouble, an acoustic folk act with some vague religious references in their lyrics, describe themselves as “post biblical art pop.” They’re a four-piece led by singer/songwriter Alicia Jo Rabins (who also plays violin in the klezmer punk band Golem) with two acoustic guitars, upright bass, drums, and accordion, and I saw them at Café Orwell in Bushwick. Musically they have a variety of influences, on the surface basically sounding like a mainstream alt-rock act, although the accordion and upright bass provided for something of a klezmer/middle eastern feel and melodies, especially on songs like “I Was A Desert,” which has a very spacious feel and opens with an epic drum intro. Lyrically the band has religious undertones, with most of the songs being told from the perspective of women in the bible, though most aren’t overtly obvious. Rabins originally started the band as part of a college thesis, and she has said in an interview with Canadian newspaper The National Post that she was attracted to many of the biblical themes more from a literary perspective than anything, and ended up incorporating them into her music. The variety of sounds in their music created a unique feel that made the performance quit engaging, and the lyrical content worked well for dramatic and aesthetic purposes.

Mexicali Blues
By: John Mabery
Rating: 10/11

Every once in a blue moon, for some inexplicable reason, the Gods christen a nerdy white boy a talented MC, blessing him with tremendous skills on the mic and unparalleled showmanship.  It’s a universal phenomenon that can’t be explained, but we don’t bother to question it because usually it’s just too much damn fun to watch.  Such is the case with Jack Brown and the remaining members of Sophistafunk, a Syracuse band “where old school meets the new school.”

But don’t be hesitant; there is plenty of validity to that aforementioned statement.  MC Jack, keyboardist extraordinaire Adam Gold, and natural born drummer Emanuel Washington know their history – blending 1960s fusion with 70s funk and 80s hip-hop into something that is irrefutably cool without the need for words like retro or nostalgia.  On top of their instrumental duties, which are the lifeblood of this group, Gold and Washington also provide backing vocals, creating a dialogue between themselves and Brown that settles nicely over their tasty grooves.  And, when coupled with the stage presence of all three members, Sophistafunk becomes a true performance band.        

The band recently graced the stage at Mexicali Blues, giving the crowd an experience that won’t soon be forgotten.  Gold and Washington set the mood with a pitch-perfect fusion-influenced instrumental before Brown, clad in a red sports coat and fedora, made his way onto the stage for a funked-up version of Rage Against The Machine’s “Renegades of Funk.”  The trio never looked back from there as they blazed through tracks from their previously-released EP – “Livin’ To Rock,” “Colors (Remix),” and “Big Bad Bouts” to name a few – as well as cuts from their forthcoming album – “Wild Out,” “Lyrical Guide,” and “Hard Enough.”  They also paid homage to their funk-hop forefathers in OutKast with a medley that featured Gold on the vocoder.         
As the set progressed, the population on the dance floor grew in size and in life.  By the end of the night, it became apparent that onlookers both familiar and unfamiliar were mesmerized by the rhythms and lyrical flow of Sophistafunk.  Brown said after the show, “I make the kind of music that I want to hear that no one else is making.”  Thankfully, the music that he wants to hear is very good, and, thankfully, he is sharing it with all of us.  I do believe the Gods are smiling. 

Mexical Blues
By: John Mabery
Rating: 9/11

I once described the sound of NOOE – the former NeveroddoreveN – to a new listener as “feel good music that doesn’t insult your intelligence.”  Well, with no offense intended to my former self, that slogan is both verbose and, a year later, outdated.  This band once specialized in a very distinctive breed of rock that was as heady as it was edgy and where the individual talents of the musicians were highlighted.  But since then, it has become apparent they are no longer that same band.  Having matured beyond their attempts to write the most grandiose songs possible and transformed into a collective being that creates some of the most inventive rock songs not being heard by the masses, NOOE will now be referred to by this reviewer as a great rock band that is constantly getting better.

NOOE has spent the better part of the past year flying under the radar of the mainstream and growing into veterans of the northern New Jersey underground.  They have brought their pummeling brand of funky blues/rock to venues such as New Jersey’s Starland Ballroom, the Stone Pony and New York’s Sullivan Hall.  They have also developed a knack for turning heads and perking up ears wherever they go.  The reason for this is simple – NOOE doesn’t have off nights.  Even when they are playing to a crowd of one or just rehearsing, this band seems incapable of phoning it in.  Singer/guitarist Jared Wohl, lead guitarist Joe Bonasorte, bassist Justin Rudolph and drummer Kyle Gagliardi are almost constantly locked in, both individually and cohesively.    

Their latest date at the famed Mexicali Blues in Teaneck, NJ was proof of just that.  The band pulled out songs from either end of their catalogue – including old favorite “Heaviest Lights” and the show-stopping “Crimson” – as well as a classic track from someone else’s collection, a blistering cover of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish.”  Their newest track, the yet-to-be-recorded “Next In Line,” might very well be their best performance to date.  Described by lead guitarist Joe Bonasorte as “more straightforward rock,” “Line” found the band pushing themselves within their comfort zone, as opposed to beyond it, and it has resulted in a song that left the crowd screaming and applauding for several minutes after.    

Even a mechanical mishap like a broken string during “Crimson” didn’t derail the set, as Bonasorte capably soloed right on through it and finished the song and the set.  Even with a diminutive turnout due to being booked on the eve of a long holiday weekend, NOOE still played a raucous set and looked like they were having a grand time doing it.  But NOOE, one of New Jersey’s best kept secrets, can only be kept secret for so long, and it seems like only a matter of time before they play one their arena-sized sets to an arena-sized crowd.  No matter how one might define them, that much seems certain.

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Article by: Sam Houghton
Photos by: James Haag
Rating: 9/11

While the straight world was comfortably snuggled into their easy chairs watching Sandra Bullock win her Oscar, there was something else going on at Glasslands Gallery, something a wee bit more strange and mesmerizing. In small print, the poster read “Dancers! Freaks! Insanity!” But I didn’t read that part. I didn’t think twice about the word Vaudeville, just figured it was another cheap gimmick. Didn’t quite understand the 7 layers part either, but after watching a five-piece band with an electric fiddle played by a man in a top hat, after a few burlesque dancers swiveled around on stage and a few painters dashed paint around, all while several photographers blasted their flashes off like strobe lights, I began to realize the night was not going to be your typical rock show… unless you hung out with Oscar Wilde or maybe some bootleggers in the 20s. Sandra Bullock might have lost her britches or gotten an aneurism. 

The scene was something out of Woody Guthrie’s “House of the Rising Sun,” but more consciously artistic and a lot more psychedelic. It seemed that if I were to go back to Glasslands tomorrow night, the same gang would still be there, still getting wild on the vibes of an artist movement. Because that’s really what this event was: an invitation for freaks and artists and dancers alike to get wild, to paint with an audience, to perform to performers.

I asked Neil Matharoo, leader for The Vanguard Villains and architect of the night, what the deal was with this dancer who had started flailing around and half stripping during his set. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled: “I have no idea. I don’t even know who that was. The idea behind this night was to create our own scene, our own thing.” With projected dates for the summer in Washington Square Park and some more nights at Glasslands, it is certainly its own trip.

The highlight of the night happened when Kites of Saturn, an electric folk jam band, was deep into a rising climax, a painter, to the left of the stage in front of a four foot canvas, was painting, surprisingly quite well, and a gorgeous burlesque dancer was easing into a more comfortable, more titillating outfit (pictured above). Don’t worry, mother, her nipples were covered with some tassels. Where the line between classy, lewd, trashy and art was drawn might be tough for some uptight lads to handle, but no one was surprised when it happened. It was all part of the night. She had enough fancy fathers and vintage clothing to make it artistic.

The bill included music by Detrimental Semantics, a Bannaroo-ey type jam band, The Vanguard Villans, a poppy, guitar heavy indie band, Kites of Saturn (pictured left), a jammy folk outfit led by the electric fiddle, and a heavier, almost metal indie band Losing You to Tattoos. For more info, check out The Vanguard Villains website.