Those Mockingbirds - Penny The Dreadful

Penny The Dreadful marks a turning point for Those Mockingbirds, who have spent the last few years carving a steady path to the forefront of New Jersey's sea of rock bands on the strength of exceptional live performances and promising EP Fa So La. It was difficult to predict the sound of long-form Mockingbirds, as this is a band whose devotion to the hook always belied a deep, varied pool of influences among its five participants and a knack for arranging them super-creatively. Penny captures this band successfully satisfying either impulse, meeting their potential, and injecting life into a style that some seem to think is approaching anachronism status.

Above all, because it plays so well from front to back, I'm really pleased with Penny as an obstinate defender of the album format. The first three tracks carry the feel of singles, with "A Ballad From Hell" standing out for its chilly vocal-violin combo and the steady build to the tempo boost halfway through, totally cinematic and terrifying. Loud mode then kicks in on

"How To Rob A Bank" and "Teenage Fantasies," which hit quite directly and leave me feeling divided. These songs overflow with grimy riffing and thick textures, flaunt finely-tuned choruses, and benefit greatly from the big production. All the same, once
"Loose Leather" unfolds next,
 it gives the sense that this band is looking toward bigger things than just a carefully-trimmed single or two for summer rock playlists.
Its Cave In-sized chunk, slick leads, and beyond-catchy vocal interplay between singers
Adam Bird and Tory Anne Daines bring me much closer to my alt-rock happy place.

The absurdly-catchy chorus of the pumping "Bodies on the Road" is probably my favorite on Penny, with the runner-up going to bittersweet pop-rocker "The Reckoning" and its declaration,"I don't wanna know what it's like to be happier." Elsewhere, where it'd have been easy to succumb to filler, the band toss us track after track with fresh flavors and elegant arrangements. "Destroy My Love" recalls the eerie indie-rock saunter of some of their
pre-Fa So La jaunts for a song packed with interesting contrast: The bass's stomp in the verse against Bird's feathery falsetto in the chorus; the timbres of the guitar and plucked violin as they both play the hook; the meditative bridge giving way to an embittered, explosive climax. "S.A.L.T." switches to downtempo shuffle with a gorgeous, mourning violin melody and layers of soaked guitar. Penultimate ballad "Model Myself" and closer
"I Feel Like I Died" turn toward a pensive mood with great effect, especially on the latter as Bird gives a crushingly frank morning-after reflection that creates an odd peace together with gently-fingerpicked acoustic.

Clearly a labor of love, Penny The Dreadful covers a lot of ground, and deftly so. Simultaneously blunt and subtle, simple and nuanced, Those Mockingbirds have struck a careful balance without sacrificing an ounce of passion. Like every strong debut, the feeling of satisfaction comes with imagining what they might try next. Penny doesn't provide any obvious answers, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Darrel Norrell

"Science Rules Everything Around Me" - A.K.A. Papa Reese's Birthday Show

As I parked the car and headed across the street to the Clash Bar. I immediately noticed  a small crowd of familiar faces. It had been a long time since I last walked through the doors of Clifton's favorite watering hole... and for the life of me, I can't think of one good reason why it's been so long. The easily accessible rock bar owned by former Let it Rock proprietor "BOB" has been a go to place for booze, rock n' roll and a laid back vibe that sets it apart from the handful of music related bars in the area. On this particular night we were all gathered to celebrate the birthday of our favorite Viking, Papa Reese. The Clash Bar was in such high spirits on this particular night that the gods, whoever they may be, had to look up to Harding Ave. for inspiration and instruction.

I made my way inside just in time for Those Mockingbirds. In truth, I might not have made the final push to get off my ass and go if it weren't for the message Adam Bird had sent me earlier in the day "James, be there if you can. Everyone will be amped with your presence."

I've become somewhat of an introvert these last weeks and it's shit like this that help me want to fight my way out of whatever I'm going through.  I hadn't seen the band since the beginning of the year and to hear a mix of old favorites amongst songs from the yet to be titled upcoming album, including the single
'How to Rob a Bank'. In my history of show going it would seem that just about every band I've ever seen has a cover song they like to drag out. I've seen bands do this since day one and I'm all in for a good cover song to get the goosebumps bumpin'.
Those Mockingbirds rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain' is one for the ages. For me personally, it rivals that of Seaweed's version of 'Go Your Own Way'... and that says a fucking lot. One of the most remarkable elements of any TM set has always been the presence of Tory Anne Daines (Violinist / Keyboard). However, on this particular night, the level of confidence coming from her side of the stage cannot go without noting. She brings an extra element of sound to the band that helps to set them apart. It's good to see her basking in the glow.
Those Mockingbirds

Reese Van Riper followed with their bluesy, whiskey soaked rock.

Birthday boy Reese had the whole place in the spirit. Making their Clash Bar appearance more than a show or a simple birthday bash.
Their set and the entire night took on the markings of a family reunion. I first met the band through the Tiny Giants Artist Collective and remember being introduced to their sound at the launching of of Lamplighter Magazine. Though it wasn't love at first site. The bands sound brought me back to the things I loved about soulful blues and whiskey soaked ballads. If memory serves, this was the first time seeing old friend and handsome guy Paul Beier (Pour the Pirate Sherry,
The Vapor Apes) on bass. The chemistry between Paul and Reese is instantly recognizable.
There was a lot of love for Reese and the band on this particular night. It was well earned, as far as I'm concerned. We all love the rock and live music. That much is a given. Seeing a band who puts their heart out on the stage while engaging everyone in the crowd just makes it all inclusive.
Reese Van Riper

Throughout their set Reese took every chance he could get to warn everyone that if they didn't stay long enough to see and support the band Science. There would be serious repercussions. Punishments that would include beatings and public scorn on any and all social media outlets. Not wanting to have my tires slashed and my camera sodomized.
I decided to stay put and see what all the hubbub was about.

As the band set up I made the social rounds. Saying hello to some familiar faces while making friends with a few new ones. Before long Science had assembled and launched into their set. All the mouthwash Reese had been sharing about the greatness that is the band Science didn't even begin the describe the energy and electricity Science delivered.
I give major credit to Reese's threats for keeping me from sneaking away to my car and heading home. Comparing the bands manic stage energy to it's overall musicianship is like arguing the whole chicken or egg question. The bands set was amazing and the impact their performance had on me leaves me speechless.
Science

This was a show I really needed to be a part of. As much for myself and just feeling about life in general as it was to help celebrate a friends life and the music that's being generated in this area. I'm going to be look back on this one as one of thse special nights for some time. I may be fucking old, but I ain't dead yet. James Damion

Those Mockingbirds Launch New Website

New Jersey Rock Gods Those Mockingbirds have launched a very impressive new website. The site features News, info on shows, video, downloads and all the rocking' excellence you've come to expect from the band. Be sure to check it out and bookmark so you can visit on a regular basis. Tell 'em James from United By Rocket Science sent ya. James Damion

>> Find it Here! <<

Those Mockingbirds Debut New Single and get Unplugged for Record Store Day.

This Saturday Those Mockingbirds assembled at Hoboken's Tunes to play an acoustic set in conjunction with Record Store Day. I stopped in to say hello and listen in before heading to the city. I really enjoyed the intimacy of the set and the surrounding happy faces. The band has a brand spanking new single which you can listen to right here. Click below to download. James Damion

The Difference Between Love and Addiction

Coffee and Conversation with Those Mockingbirds Frontman Adam Bird

Adam and I had been talking about getting together to talk about the band and music for some time. Those Mockingbirds had been pretty busy touring and getting ready to finally release the vinyl version of their EP 'Fa So La' via Star Beat Music. It was the first time in years I had been inspired and intrigued by a straight up Rock band and to be honest, it kind of weirded me out. Being that I had seen them a few times and spent many a day with the chorus and tasty riffs of  'Coast to Coast' as my personal sountrck. I knew that this meeting had to nailed down. So on a windy day I headed up to Fine Grinds in Little Falls to finally sit with the man who's music had quickly become part of my every day life. The result was over an hour of good, caffeine fueled conversation that helped me get to know both the band and Adam himself. I'm really glad I had the opportunity.
James Damion

James: My history with Those Mockingbirds only goes back to September of 2011 when I saw you for the first time at the Brick City Sound Riot festival. Can you fill in the blanks for me as far as how the band started and its evolution as to where you are today?

Adam: I had been writing some songs called up my friend who used to sing in Escape Engine and asked if he could play bass. I even called my ex girlfriends current boyfriend to play guitar because I knew he had been playing and wanted to start his first band. I wasn't really serious about starting a band. I just had some songs and wanted a band to be playing them. I wanted to take the band seriously but I just wasn't at the time. It was a strange situation. I knew I wanted to have a keyboardist in the band so I called everyone looking for someone with real piano ability. The thing is that being in New Jersey you'll notice that there's an endless list of trend bands. Everybody wants to play in a trend band. At the time the trend was having a keyboard with these single note runs and nothing else. That's what the keyboardist does. Either I couldn't find anyone or the ones I did find we so far on the other side of the spectrum that they didn't want to play in a band.

I decided to call Tory who I had just known randomly over the years. We weren't friends so to say, I just knew that girl Tory. She was going to music school so I asked her if she had any friends who played the piano. She replies "Actually, I play piano." I thought she only played violin but she tells me she's also playing piano now. "Cool, come on down to our practice."
So she comes down and she knows like two God damned chords. Something she had failed to let us in on before we invited her. So she tells me she's taking this "Piano101" course as a requirement and can basically do the bare bones shit on the piano. Wait, I'm not done. So she also brought her violin with her. She pulls it out and says, "Hey, look what else I can do!", "Oh, and I can sing too.".It was crazy. So basically it comes down to the fact that she really sucks on piano but she's really great on the violin. Here I am thinking to myself, "I don't want a fucking violin in the band." We're going to be the band with a fucking violin. Ultimately we practiced with her a second time and the focus of that practice was that she had to, had to play this one song on the piano or we weren't interested. Lucky for us she was able to do it so… she was in the band. In the beginning I had this fear that she was going to end up in the band and just be playing the violin and that really scared me. After Tory joined everything started to come together.

We put out an EP out with that first lineup and went on tour with it. We had the record distributed by Side Show Records and it was just a cool start for us. It was the way you'd want your band to start out. The EP debuted at #1 on the Amazon "Movers and Shakers" chart. It got us a lot of press early on.

After that we started to write new songs and were talking about putting out a single but the other guys in the band just weren't carrying their weight at all. They had mentally checked out. They just didn't like how serious things had gotten. One night after we had rehearsed I sat down and asked what was going on. I couldn't carry the band myself. I wanted them to be excited about the band. Before long, with the exception of Tory, they were all gone. It was a scary moment but I looked at it as a great opportunity because the casual nature in which the band started turned Those Mockingbirds into some that was too loosely patched together.

So we got Rob and that turned everything around for this band musically,  professionally and business wise. He taught us about making decisions that were smart for the band on a long term instead of making decisions on impulse. To many bands today just say yes to everything. They'll play any show at the drop of a dime. When we stopped doing that we really noticed our band was drawing more and building an audience in New Jersey.
The big sold out show we did at Maxwells last month is a good example of that.
That show was a great success  because we've decided to pick and choose what's best for the band.  That was just an example to the kind of mindset that Rob brings to the band.
Our current drummer Kevin is a rock solid musician. I really can't say enough about him.
He's had a tremendous part in shaping this band. If Kevin had never joined the band I don't think we would be able to as accomplish nearly as much as we have as a band.

James: Tell me about the new single you're debuting. What inspired it? Is it part of a new record the band's working on?

Adam: The new song is called "The Difference Between Love + Addiction" its about the deterioration of 2 relationships in my life that were happening at the same time, but for different reasons. One ended for reasons based in love and respect, the other ended because it felt like an addiction and wasnt good for either party to be involved anymore.
We wrote the song when we were recording 'Fa Sol La', our most recent EP, but didnt finish it in time to include it on the record. We ended up playing the song live for the last few months, even performing it on Fearless Music. When we started talking about making the next record, which we are working on now, we found ourselves wanting to put something out before heading into the studio. "TDBL+A" felt like the right choice because it is the orphan in our catalogue. It wasnt written within a group of songs, it appeared live as the only "new" song we did for awhile, and it just felt right that it should be released into the world on its own as well instead of tacked onto a release with a group of songs it has nothing in common with. It's a loner and we hope it prospers as such.

James: How has being a part of the Tiny Giants Artist Collective and networking with other bands and artists helped Those Mockingbirds and of course, you personally?

Adam: Tiny Giants has been helping with all of that in the sense that it’s been giving me the chance to talk to other bands about what their struggles are and what they’re going through as well. Those struggles are such a big part of being in a band. It’s a lot like being in a relationship. 
When you’re in that relationship and you’re having problems you need to talk to friends about it. If you don’t talk about it, that relationship is doomed to fail. When you don’t talk about the issues you have you tend to feel very isolated and those problems tend to snowball. I feel that bands never talk about these issues they may be feeling. It’s the nature of the beast. Musicians might want to be private about their bands. Being able to talk to other bands and realizing that a lot of them about what they’re feeling is incredible. That communication goes a long way. In the least it makes you feel that you’re not so isolated in what you’re experiencing.

James: With all the genre and sub genre overkill music has experienced for what seems like decades. Pure Rock Music seems to have gotten lost or buried  somewhere on the side of the road that is musics landscape. What was it that inspired you to start a band that was unapologetically ROCK?

Adam: It was a natural thing for me. Growing up, the first band I liked was Aerosmith. From there I moved to Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Green Day. 
Throughout my entire music education I always turned on to the bands that hooked me. Not until recently did I realize it but it was always the hooks. It’s not like I was shopping for NSYNC cd’s but I always appreciated the hooks in a good, classic pop song. I loved Fleetwood Mac and I loved 
The Bee Gees and certain ABBA song. I even loved Ace of Bass to a certain degree. I may have looked like a kid who listened to nothing but Nirvana but bands like the ones I mentioned had those hooks that I initially fell for.

The modern rock stations give you only one aspect of modern rock. They  have a whole bunch on 
Nu Metal. My favorite bands have always been ones that hadn’t been defined by genre. 
They’ve always been genre-bending bands like the Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, 
White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles. They put songs first. They added hooks and built a song around them. When I started playing in bands it seemed that every kid in Jersey was into Emo, Hardcore or Pop Punk. I wanted to like it because my friends were so into it but it was fucking stupid to me. I tried really tried like to like it. I love The Get Up Kids and a few Thursday songs but for the most part it was a pretty forgetful time for me musically. I found that I was still listening to the Foo Fighters and I was still listening to the Smashing Pumpkins “Melancholy and the infinite sadness”. Then I got into Soundgarden and The Melvins.  I wanted more of it instead of changing gears to some other branch of the tree I wasn’t interested in. I started writing music in the sense of wanted to see where that early nineties rock sound could have gone. It could have gone the way of bands like Nickleback but for me that was the impotent version of what it might be. 
I wanted Those Mockingbirds to sound like a direct line or branch of the tree that created that.

James: I guess I'm a bit of an Independent music snob so it's not everyday that I cover a band like 

Those Mockingbirds. You're one of a handful of bands I've heard lately that I can see getting a lot of attention from major labels. As someone who has always run with the "Corporate Rock Sucks" crowd, I wanted to know how you feel about signing to a major. Say, surviving as an Independent (hard work, no real money) VS surviving on a Major (harder work, making money for someone else).

Adam: It’s complicated because when it comes down to it, the band isn’t something that’s inaccessible. Know that, why wouldn’t we want the whole world to hear us? Any artist who says they don’t want the whole world to accept and appreciate what they’re creating is a fucking liar. If I told you something you wrote was going to be passed around to every one on the planet you’d be ecstatic. When you create art you’re doing it for yourself but you’re also doing it because you want to connect with other people.

There are definitely pitfalls with any label you sign with and the bigger the label the deeper the pitfall. But I understand what our band is doing and 
Matador Records is not going to sign us. We write Pop songs. The majority of what we write are Pop songs. Even our song “The Bloodiest of Gums” is a Pop song. There are a lot of labels out there that don’t mind if we write Pop songs. That’s what I write. It may be the bare bones of what it is. They’re Rock & Roll songs but I know there are a lot of labels out there that wouldn’t give us the time of day because of that. We’ve just got too many hooks in our songs. We’re the kind of band that has to be open to major labels because our options are a little more limited. There’s an entire network in place that are signing bands that are out of key and are playing Punk and dissonant stuff. It’s a juggernaut that’s been around since the 80’s and it’s awesome. It’s created some amazing bands, but it’s not for us. We love the music just as much but decided we heard stronger melodies in our heads and wanted to put something different out there. It just seems the window is a little more closed for us.

I honestly can’t think of a single indie label that has a roster of bands that sound like us. It’s almost to the point that we would almost have to consider a major label. Because if all I ever want to do is play music for the rest of my life. That may be my only shot at it. Saying no to a major label just because I want to be respectful to the indie community would almost be insane for me because there likely wouldn’t be any other option. With that said, I’d have to say I’m one of those people who’s goal is to leave the biggest fucking mark on the tree as possible. With every song that’s written and every extra ear that hears it. I’m scraping a little deeper into that tree and marking my place in history.

I feel that most art is basically recycled versions of what came before.

James: The way we make and share music is forever changing. Here you are a musician who's been around long enough to experience those changes as they were happening. 
What are some of your thoughts and how have you adjusted to the way things are being done?

Adam: It was frustrating for me at first. People in my age group (twenties to mid twenties) 
The Internet didn’t play as much of a role when we were first coming up and starting bands. 
There was a set path that we had seen for generations. Then as soon as were getting ready to put out our first records, everything collapsed. We had to figure out how to do things an entirely different way.

James: You've spent a lot of time touring and away from home. 
What do you think are some of the keys to surviving on the road? 
Getting paid, keeping your sanity in between shows and staying physically healthy.

Adam: The best way to make sure you get paid or at least insure the chances you will is to make sure you book with a promoter that supports touring acts. If they are you’ll know they’re going to do their best to pay you. It’s also to your benefit to take care of those things ahead of time. 
Don’t show up the day of and tell the promoter “Oh, now we need gas money”.  Get a confirmation. Get it in writing or through an email and know that at the very least they’re going to take care of you at the door. So if there’s an issue two months down the road you can print that email and show them. Money is the last thing people want to talk about. No one wants to talk about money.

On the subject of physical health, Forget it, you’re going to get sick. Everybody gets sick on the road, end of story. Think about it, you’re on the road, you’re eating shit, there’s absolutely nothing I can offer as to how to stay healthy physically on the road.

Maybe I’m weird but when I go on the road I feel healthier mentally. I’m not surrounded by the daily bullshit of my everyday. Over time you start to miss everyone you love but that’s about it. 
I always bring a few books out with me. I try reading and meeting as many people as I possibly can whatever show we happen to be at. Have conversations about the area and learn about the town or city you’re in. Those are natural things to do that later on when you’re in your 70’s you could be that crazy Grandfather that happens to know everything about every city on the East Coast. 
That’s how you find people like that. It’s because they didn’t have phones or ipods attached to their ears everywhere they went. I have this opportunity to be visiting all these little cities all of the time and really experiencing them on a regular basis.

James: When you're starting out and you're on tour. Most of the people who come to the shows are there to see the other bands and probably never even hears of Those Mockingbirds. 
Is there anything you do to engage the crowd or grab their attention? How do you go about leaving your mark on the crowd?

Adam: For me it’s all about breaking down the walls of communication between the band and the audience. Letting them know that we’re not pretentious. You’ve seen the way I conduct myself when I’m playing a show. 
I try to take little aspects from what I’ve seen work. There’s a lot of talking and being funny involved. A lot of getting to the crowd, if that means throwing myself to the floor, so be it. 
If it works for the World Wrestling Federation then why not. The best way I can out it is; you have to sell the song as much as you possibly can. We played this one show in Atlantic City that had these open windows at the side of the stage that went into the other room where the bar was. During the break in “We’re Animals” 
I climbed through one of the windows to the other side by the bar while still playing my guitar. Everybody fucking loved it all eyes were on me but when I climbed back I got stuck. I couldn’t fucking get back to Mike. So for the rest of the song and the rest of the set Rob and Tori had to sing. As funny and embarrassing that was… it worked. Everyone remembered that. So anyone who was there that night is going to remember that set. Even if it was that one incident, we still stood out to them. We weren’t just some random Rock band who played our songs and left.

We were playing a show in Scranton the other day and there was this girl was up front, center stage on her cell phone and her Facebook for the entire show. Didn’t look up once.  If you want to be on Facebook, fine. Go fucking home. Why are you even here? I’m realistic though. It’s cool if you get a call or shoot a text. I check my FB during the day, but I don’t sit there on it all day. 
Check your messages later. Not when the band is playing. This girl paid to get in to the show. 
Why is she sitting there on her Facebook? On most occasions, if a crowd is unresponsive at first I can connect with them if I try hard enough. This girl was open to that.

James: As artists we can't be on the stage 24/7. We can't always be writing that song or coming up with that killer riff. As a photographer and writer I often have a very hard time dealing with myself and the people around me when I'm not being creative. How do you deal with the down time?

Adam: I try to talk about whatever issues I’m having. Talking about the things that are bothering me with the people I trust. The only way I know how to get past it is to let that thought process take itself to an extreme and as you start to dig that hole deeper and deeper I start to realize where things are going. That alone can help calm me down. I wish there was a set way to deal with things but that’s how I deal with it. I might force myself to work on a song or just distract myself with something completely unrelated. It’s really fucking tough and I wish I had a better answer as to how I deal with it.

James: I've been to a few Those Mockingbirds shows now and to be honest a lot of the focus on the band is directed towards you and Tori. You being the frontman and Tori being this goddess behind the keyboards or rocking out on an instrument that isn't exactly prominent at Rock & Roll shows. 

Tell me a little about the personalities and the chemistry in the band.

Adam: Rob is very much our patriarch. While I may be the emotional leader of the he band, he’s by far the brains. Our drummer Kevin is probably the most levelheaded in the band. 
If he feels something’s wrong in the band, it probably is. If he thinks it’s a good idea we’ll usually go with it. He’s the no nonsense guy in the band who when he speaks up he really has something to say. His opinion holds a lot of weight and he’s really earned that. 
Our guitarist John is in a sense our comic relief guy. When John and I are together our IQ’s drop drastically. He and I have the dumbest sense of humor. Toilet humor is classy compared to what we come up with. He also happens to contribute a ton of that

Rock & Roll approach to the band. He loves bands like At the Drive Inn and the Mars Volta. 
He comes from a slightly different spot than the rest of us in the band. He’s really well rounded when it comes to what he’s into. John’s the go to guy when it comes to bringing those edgy elements into the band. Where as Kevin and me pretty much listen to all the same influences. Tori is everybody’s little sister in the band. We pick on her pretty badly.

James: I’ve only known you for s short time but I think its safe to say that you’re a fucking character. How do you think people see you?

Adam: I think when people don’t really know me they consider me to be a dick. As soon as they get to know me they’ll know me for the rest of their life. Throughout my entire life people have always said they were intimidated when they met me. Not that I was intimidating in a physical way. 
They somehow felt I had this threatening nature about me. 

James: That’s how I felt.

Adam: I’ve heard it my entire life and I never understood it. Anyone that’s gotten past that and became my friend never felt that way again. They saw me, as I am, this loyal, funny dude.

It’s made me go a really long way to be very blunt with positive things from the very start. I will go a very long way to break down certain social barriers that certain people aren’t ready to deal with.  The other day I got together with an old friend I hadn’t seen for a year or two. We were sitting there and she asked me “Why did you call me anyway?” It made me think that anytime I meet somebody that reminds me of someone from my past I’ll immediately make it a point to reach out to that person. I guess I still haven’t really figured out the connection between who I really am and who people think I am; but I’m getting there. The more I’m understanding that. The more I’m putting it to my use.

James: That leads to my follow up and final question. How do you see yourself?

Adam: I’m hyper aware of coming across the wrong way. I think I purposely cut through a lot of formalities with people. It works for some and for others it doesn’t. I know that I’m not out to hurt anybody. I’m a really levelheaded person. I have a pretty big fucking mouth and I’m very opinionated but as opinionated as I am. I’m also one of the most open-minded people you’ll ever meet. I’ve been swayed on many issues I thought I was right about because I was willing to listen. That’s something that I have a hard time balancing. Balancing the idea that I always think I’m right with the fact that I might not always be right. I’m brash, confrontational and opinionated but I don’t see those things as negative characteristics. I’m just willing to speak up. People who are willing to listen and at least give me the time to see that I’m not an asshole; That I’m actually basing the things I say on intelligence will probably end up being friends for a very long time. A good example of that is that I’m close friends with any girl I’ve ever dated. Everyone I know thinks that’s the weirdest thing in the world. It’s because I’m willing to meet in the middle ground with just about anybody in order to make a relationship work. Be it friendship or what have you. That sums me up.

Friends, Bands Gather at Maxwell's to Celebrate The Release of Those Mockingbirds 'Fa So La'

As The Sun The Moon The Stars opened the show I couldn't help but wonder, "How in the Hell is this band opening for anyone?" A few minutes prior to the show I had asked Adam Bird of Those Mockingbirds the 411 on the bands playing that night. He remarked "Can't Miss" when referring to them. The band, by far the heaviest I've seen at Maxwells since witnessing Kylesa take the stage in 2009. With a sound that reminded me of bands such as The Melvins, Sabbath and Botch to name just a few, how could you go wrong. Matthew Dwyer, Guitar/Vocals, has an electrifying stage presence. Later that night I snagged the bands album "Mindreader" which has been dominating my turntable since. The band is from West Paterson NJ and I highly recommend both buying the record and checking them out live.
TSTMTS Facebook

Following an opening band as good as T.S.T.M.T.S.'s can be a tricky gig but Birdhand made the transition seamlessly. Here was another first time experience for me that was incredibly rewarding. Birdhand have only been around for a short time but have made a lot of noise in that short period. Formed in Santa Cruz California but recently transplanted to New York City. The band has been both praised and produced by Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer. The band has an excellent rock sound which seems to be getting harder to find with all the indie, alt and post bands dominating music today.       It's good to see a band that flat out, rocks. Singer/Guitarist Weeds vocals have a raspy quality that had me comparing him to Girls VS Boys vocalist Scott McCloud. Their set provided plenty of energy and solid musicianship. Birdhand definitely had that PMA going strong.
Birdhand on Facebook

Just as Birdhand finished their set I headed away from the stage to catch my breath and seek out a few friendly faces I had briefly encountered earlier. I've been going to Maxwells regularly since the early nineties but since covering shows for Jersey Beat and of course United By… I rarely talk to more than a handful of people. I usually just take in the show while taking my pictures and just head home. These days I often go home with a pain in my neck considering how many friendly faces call out my name. It was really a blast seeing so many friends interacting and rocking out. Since becoming part of The Tiny Giants collective I've forged friendships and been introduced to so many creative and inspiring bands. Seeing so many of them there to support  Those Mockingbirds and all the bands makes me want to go to more and more shows while providing me with plenty of fuel for the bog.

I originally caught Those Mockingbirds when they played the Brick City Riot Festival back in September of 2011. They played a great set of dirty, yet beautiful Rock n' Roll that night that really stuck with me. Since that night I've caught them a handful of times and I can honestly say, they get better with each and every performance. Though they weren't headlining this specific show it was indeed their night. With the official release of "Fa So La" and Star Morales of Star Beat Music in the house. How could it not be.

As the band took the stage and launched in to their set. I found myself doing something I rarely do, dancing and singing along to every note. These days I find myself going to more and more shows, adding more and more to my list of favorites. As much as I love a lot of these bands I could hardly name a song of theirs if I was cornered. Yet alone, know the lyrics and verses of each and every song. It's just a matter of numbers. When I was just out of high school I lived with a band who often played the record of the band they'd be sharing the stage with that weekend. Just so they'd be familiar with the choruses when it was time to join in. For me personally, Fa So La has just dug itself into my subconscious over the past months. It's that fucking good. Adam Bird is the perfect frontman. He has this presence that is endearing to both the crowd and the band. That and he can flat out sing and play guitar. As a whole Those Mockingbirds fire on all cylinders producing a sound I feel Rock and music as a whole has been missing for quite a while.

At one point during the set their surprise guest was unveiled in the form of World Inferno Friendship Society's Rebecca Schlappich, giving the band not one but two insanely talented and beautiful violinists. It was a really special moment to say the least. One of the highlight of the bands set for me was when they played "Coast to Coast." a song so good I felt my entire body moving spastically  to it's rhythm. The band ended their set briefly only to be called back for an encore of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way". A song that hasn't been done justice since the band Seaweed covered it for the "Clerks" soundtrack back in the mid 90's.
Those Mockingbirds Facebook


Closing the show was Shayfer James. As the  band took the stage an older photographer sporting some very sweet gear handed his camera to his lady friend and told her "Fuck these people, just push your way to the front and get some good shots." That little exchange hit me in all the wrong places and changed my mood drastically. I seriously thought about confronting him but a dick is a dick and he'll always be one. Arguing my point would be pointless. Though I thought, if only for a moment to just walk up to him and punch him in the throat, reality found it's way to my doorstep and I just removed myself from the situation. Douche bags like that should stick to taking pictures of barn doors and making coffee table books for bald guys with pony tails. Leave the shows to us beautiful people. As the band played I couldn't help but notice the crowd had changed so I made my way back to the bar fro my last Coke of the night. Though Shayfer JamesShayfer James Facebook  had a nice vibe about them I was already in the wrong frame of mind and didn't really hang for the entire set. Despite that little moment this was a great show all around, Lots of love to all the friends who came out to support the bands and one of the only establishments that continues to book great shows. I love you Maxwells. James Damion
Shayfer James Facebook

Those Mockingbirds Prepare For Record Release with Show at Maxwells

As Those Mockingbirds get set to invade Hoboken's Maxwells to celebrate the coming release of their EP 'Fa So La' on Star Beat Music. I got to speak with the bands lead singer/guitarist Adam Bird about the upcoming, show, release and that tasty looking vinyl. 
There are a lot of things I'd like to talk about with Adam in the future. Until then I decided to focus on what's happening in the upcoming days and weeks. Here's what he had to say. James Damion

James: Congratulations on the upcoming release. I just purchased both versions of the vinyl (Black/Gold) last night.
           
Adam: THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!

James: Who came up with the idea for the different versions?

Adam: I believe it was Star's (Star Beat Records) idea to have different package options. We always like doing this kind of thing, offering a more full experience that is, but I think she proposed it to us initially, and we, kinda offered a bunch of ideas as to what we could offer for each package.

James: Was the initial release only available in the digital format?

Adam: Yea, we decided when 'Fa Sol La' was done being recorded that we would only do physical copies if they were vinyl because CDs are just too expensive of an investment for a band right now when all theyre gonna do is get tossed in a dusty pile once its ripped into a computer.

James: Can we expect any extras? Songs? Alternate Versions?

Adam: Yeah, we are including a bonus track called "Coast To Coast XY". Its a total re-imagining of the song that is much more vibe-y and laid back with Tory singing lead and myself singing her backup parts.

Those Mockingbirds tearing it up at Brick City Sound Riot.

James: What was it that led Those Mockingbirds and  Star Morales and Star Beat Music to give 'Fa So La' a proper release?

Adam: I had caught wind that Star was looking to get into the vinyl game, so i sent her 'Fa Sol La' before it was released and told her that we would be interested in talking if she liked the record. A week later she got back to me and told me she wanted to put it out. Pretty clean cut.

James: You'll be playing Maxwell's this Friday night. Word has it that there will be a surprise guest. Care to spill the beans?

Adam: No bean spilling here, but its a really exciting thing for us to have another musician, especially one more accomplished, join us for a full song!

James: I have to tell you I had visions of Stevie Nicks taking the stage in a flowing gown.

Adam: If we had Stevie Nicks on stage with us I would've announced it instantly!

Those Mockingbirds Photo by Misha Shade

James: Will there be any other surprises?

 Adam: Our set list is going to be very fresh from the last time we played in the area... lots of new twists and turns that we've developed over the last few tours. Its also probably the most high energy set we've ever done. a true blitzkrieg of guitars.

James: Aside from
Those Mockingbirds I'm not familiar with anyone else on the bill. Are there any connections with the rest of the line up?

Adam: The Sun The Moon The Stars is a band of vagrants that I was playing with for a bit about a year ago, and they are close friends of mine. Shayfer James is a good buddy of our bassist Rob. Birdhand is a band we met thru mutual friends a few months back and we will be touring with them soon.

James: The last time we talked you said you were practicing with the band for the first time since the tour. How long were you out and what were some of the hot spots?

Adam: We tend to go out for a lot of short runs instead of long ones because we can revisit the same towns more frequently that way. These past few dates have been notable for the fact that we were playing numerous 2+ hour sets, which is a challenge for a band with only two EPs out... but we made it work, tried out a lot of new things on the fly, and grew as a band because of it.

James: Are you going to be going out to support the release? 

Adam: Yes, we have tour dates in February and March lined up right now, lots of them with Birdhand.

James: My first impression of the band was at The Brick City Sound Riot. That really wasn't that long ago. Can you tell me a little about the band and how you've evolved?

Those Mockingbirds ToryAnne Daines

Adam: We've only been a band a little over two years... Year one was mostly us trying to do things as fast as we could, which to a degree got the ball rolling, but after awhile we regrouped, and Tory and I found new members in Rob Kevin and Jon, to finally start being the band we felt like we could be. So the past year we have really started to become what we wanted to be when we started, which was the kind of band who stuck out, whether in a good a bad way would depend on the listeners tastes i suppose, but either way one that stuck out amongst the sea of bands out there.

James: I don't know if you remember but that night I was up front taking pictures. We pretty much got up in one an others faces. I thought you were either going to kill me or use my ribs for reverb. Do you tend to lose yourself in the music when you're out there performing?
(Adam later pulled me aside and formally introduced himself.)

Adam: I do remember, and I'm not sure which I was about to do to you, but I'm sure it was one or the other. When we are playing I really tend to throw myself to the lions and see what happens. I do this because I find that it provides more entertainment for the crowd and they  are more likely to remember you and the songs you are playing. Sometimes I talk a lot and it can be funny, or, some shows, I don't talk at all and I end up throwing myself on the floor a lot.... but no matter what I end up doing, I tend to be in a sort of trance when we are on stage.

James: Judging from my limited experience working with you in the collective. You seem to be somewhat of an enforcer. Is that a fair characterization or am I completely off?

Adam: Nope, I am the kind of person who sees whats missing from a situation and attempts to do what I can to fix that. In Tiny Giant, there was no enforcer, so i became that. In Those Mockingbirds, I try to be the one who puts the gas in the tank.