Published on Nov 25, 2000
I don’t quite know what to make of The Sweathogs — and I sure
ain’t talkin’ about the ragtag group of misfits that were featured
on
Welcome Back, Kotter.
No, this time I’m referring to a collective of musicians based
in Staten Island, New York. Their latest EP,
Happy Anarchy, dares to fly in the face of musical standards
and established beliefs, mixing rock, funk and pure disrespect into
four songs. It’s kind of a lot to take in during one sitting – yet
it’s not quite enough to really form a solid opinion about vocalist
Matt Ryan and crew.
It’s not that this CD is bad in any sense of the word; these
four tracks show off a band whose potential is clearly shown. But
the difficulty will be getting people to give this crew a chance –
and the amalgam of musical styles they bring to the table, if not
to each song, might frighten some people.
Take the title track of this disc. Running from swing-jazz with
touches of folk to harder, ska-tinged rock (thanks to the
utilization of a horn section) to a more powerful rock-fortified
bridge (why does the tempo drop a notch here?), even daring to go
to a pop-rock close… I mean, that’s a lot to digest in
four-and-a-half minutes. It’s impressive that a band can accomplish
this without everything going to pieces, but it might be a sign
that The Sweathogs are trying too hard to impress their
audience.
Simplicity, indeed, might be the key for this band – and the
very next song, “Do You Remember,” illustrates this. A slight
mixture of funk-rock with a swinging beat to it, this is the kind
of groove that could assure this band would be remembered by its
audience, and is a definite highlight of the disc. Likewise, “Glass
Box” is a pleasant slice of pop sensibility that is satisfying on
several levels. If I had to pick one song for a single from this
disc, “Glass Box” would be it.
The final track of
Happy Anarchy, “Whatever,” gives The Sweathogs the chance to
totally cut loose after two songs of relative self-control. This
time around, though, that giving in to abandon works well for the
group, going from funk-based rock to an all-out speed-rock jam. In
the end, this track turns out to be a lot of fun – and you end up
liking the track, despite your misgivings.
So why do I feel the jury is still out for The Sweathogs and
Happy Anarchy? Simple: I’d like to hear a little more
consistency from this band, preferrably in the form of a longer
disc. (Memo to the band: Yes, I’m aware you have a full-length disc
available on CDBaby… and there’s your free plug.) There is great
potential I hear in this group, though I think, like a fine wine,
they need to age and mature (musically, I mean) a little bit before
they’re ready for the big-time. That’s not meant to be a knock
against them – and I think in time The Sweathogs will most
definitely be one of the bands in the New York area to watch
closely. Until then,
Happy Anarchy offers a small glimpse of just what might be
to come from them.