Published on Oct 11, 2001
Everybody wants to be Fred Durst – may God have mercy on us.
The latest band to enter the already-too-crowded fray,
Groovenics, mixes angst and rap with a touch of pop sensibility –
or at least the band’s version thereof. Led by vocalist K*rl
Michaels (no, that’s not a typo, the star replaces an “a” in his
name), Groovenics’ self-titled debut is a disarrayed collective of
tracks featuring a band uncertain as to which musical direction
they wish to go.
The band – Michaels, guitarists Jim Austin and Matt Swig,
bassist Pete Carmichael, keyboardist Josh Mullenix and drummer Mike
Darookie – plows through 13 songs trying their best to create some
type of cross between Limp Bizkit and Nine Inch Nails, never really
capturing the essence of either band well enough to pull things
off. By rote, the band is competent enough on their respective
instruments – all well and good, but the material is pretty much
devoid of emotional attachment for the listener.
I’m not certain where the problem lies – either in songwriting
or execution – but therein lies the key to unlock the potential for
success for Groovenics. Songs like “Just Right,” “Spooy” and
“Superstar” all potentially could have been something noteworthy,
but the pursuit of a specific musical style (and not hitting the
mark) sinks these efforts.
The pop influence comes on tracks like “She’s A Freak,” which
almost tries to send
Groovenics into a Tone-Loc meets 2 Live Crew style of
songwriting (without the sexual bragadoccio). It’s most definitely
an experiment – and one that fails to get off the ground creatively
or musically. The attempt to show hipness through sexuality (on
“Booty Barn”) is so out of place on this disc that it feels like an
afterthought – no, check that, it smacks of zero thought.
Further attempts at pop stylings are heard on the group’s cover
of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – an effort which is
pretty well butchered. (Never mind the fact I always thought the
original track was a throwaway.) Maybe it was in the interpretation
that this one faltered – or maybe it was the source material itself
– but it’s not the strongest way for a band to close the opening
statement of their career.
Groovenics is an underdeveloped album featuring a group
which does not seem like they know what to do with themselves, and
who have not found their own unique musical voice. Here’s hoping
they’re pointed in the right direction soon; after all, those who
follow flashes in the pan tend to have an even shorter shelf
life.