The
Mooney Suzuki to Bring Old Flavor to ’Sco
by John MacDonald
New
York City has recently become a hotbed for garage rock. The Moldy
Peaches — who played a show at the Cat in February — and
the Strokes are the first names that come to mind. Not to be outdone
by all this recent hype, The Mooney Suzuki have put together a couple
of records: 2000’s People Get Ready (Estrus Records) and Electric
Sweat (Gammon Records), due to be released on April 9, that set
them apart from New York’s rock’n’ roll milieu. The
foursome finds inspiration in ’60s jagged three-chord rock.
Bands like The Kinks, The Who, and early Rolling Stones provide
the jolt for The Mooney Suzuki’s jive. Preparing to invade
the ’Sco March 19, these big city boys are sure to build on
the already legendary live reputation they have garnered for themselves.
Rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Sammy James Jr., who looks like
a young Ric Ocasek, met fellow NYC art student Graham Tyler, the
group’s lead guitarist, in 1997 when Tyler responded to a “musicians
wanted” flyer he saw at a local record store. The two started
a musical relationship that is the backbone of The Mooney Suzuki’s
tight-fisted rock n’ roll. Picking up bass guitarist Mike Michaels
and drummer Jody Stone, the four toured a harrowing three years
(from 1997 to 1999) without a record, any management, a label or
even an agent. Nonetheless, the group’s irresistible stage
presence earned them a debut as #23 on the CMJ top 200 chart upon
the release of their debut. Now with a new label, The Mooney Suzuki
have touched a raw nerve in America’s rock n’ roll consciousness.
Coming on like present-day nostalgia rockers The White Stripes,
The Mooney Suzuki leave you like the feedback from a Velvet Underground
jam — hissing and screaming like a spoiled private-school boy
sent to his room.
Don’t let the simple metaphors of the title track on their
new album, Electric Sweat, turn you off. This little ditty gets
the new album off to a blistering start with James’ bright-eyed
baritone and Tyler’s lead guitar sounding like it’s about
to split his amp in two. And the next track, with the lyrics “In
a young man’s mind there’s a little room for music, and
the rest is girls,” makes The Mooney Suzuki sound like the
underground prophets of the boy’s rooms. Their nod to the Stones,
“Oh Sweet Susanna,” along with their instrumental jam,
“It’s Showtime PT II,” are also ripe for any leather-clad
teenager’s headphones.
Clocking in at just over 35 minutes, Electric Sweat doesn’t
let a measure or a second of feedback go to waste. Pounding the
hell out of their vintage guitars, the boys have created an equally
vintage sound under the guidance of their producer Jim Diamond.
Everything about the Mooney Suzuki screams late ’60s —
the Telecasters, the leather jackets, the mop hair cuts, the giant
sunglasses and the New York City pride.
But when they come to the ’Sco this March 19, they’ll
be sure to come off as every bit a part of the musical “here
and now” as they are. There are few things more certain to
take away your midterm blues then some good ole’ 12-bar blues
—Mooney Suzuki style.
A band already familiar with small-town Ohio, the Slip, will also
be making a pit stop at the ’Sco this month on the 16th. Weaving
together multiple strains of folk and popular traditions, Brad and
Andrew Barr and Marc Friedman follow in the tradition of jam bands
such as Phish and the String Cheese Incident. So be sure to catch
both acts this month at the ’Sco. They’d thank you for
it.
Both bands hit the stage at 10 p.m. Admission is $4 with OCID.
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