My brother from the band Ronin, singer David Marin, recently posted on Facebook, raving about his old Statik Silence bandmate guitarist, Zack Kenworthy’s new band, Drifting Figures. So, out of curiosity, I decided to give it a listen, and I loved these guys! Yeah, they sound a little cookie-cutter, but singer Matt Simon has a pretty amazing set of pipes and their music gives you a nice kick in the ass. It’s tasty!
According to the members of Drifting Figures, “We’re attracted to songs that haunt us. It’s a welcome haunting, though we aren’t sure why. We just know that well-crafted songs are built to stick with us, and are seemingly built with a steadier hand than our own. We find ourselves enveloped in the rare power that comes with lyrical, melodic, and instrumental balance.” Well, mission accomplished with their debut EP, We Are… Yeah, this is their first release as a band, but you can hear the veteran finesse put forth by Jersey music scene vets, singer Matt Simon, formerly of Downcast Theory, and Zack Kenworthy, formerly of Statik Silence. It’s Simon and Kenworthy’s writing of hypnotizing melodic hooks supported by carefully crafted guitar riffs that have become the lifeline of Drifting Figures. The songwriting flip-flops between “eerie darkness and brighter relief, sparking a clash of driving energy and transfixing tones,” similar to that of Sevendust meets Incubus meets RED. Rounding out the Drifting Figures lineup is the handy guitar work of guitarist Jake Raynor, drummer Shane Stanton, and bassist Kurt Wubbenhorst, who some might recognize as the drummer of the band One Hundred Thousand and the co-owner of Architekt Music Studios in Butler, NJ.
Drifting Figures released their debut EP, We Are…, back in December with their single for the song “Stranger.” The EP also features the songs “Broken,” “At The Edge,” “Weathered” and “Break Your Will.” The songwriting is powerful and even though I mentioned cookie-cutter earlier, I find myself wanting to hear more from this band. You have to check these guys out! To learn more about Drifting Figures, visit Facebook.com/DriftingFiguresBand.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bros from Sekond Skyn are in the studio recording some new material with producer Mike Thompson of Superjoint Ritual fame. I seriously cannot wait to hear this stuff! Catch Sekond Skyn with my band Rahway at the Boneyard in Atlantic City, NJ on April 2. For more info on Sekond Skyn, visit facebook.com/SekondSkynmusic.
The gang at Midnight Mob recently released their new single “Swing On” from their upcoming EP, Honest Brutal Glorious, on Spotify. I have to say I love singer Blackey Death Proof’s voice. The song kicks ass and I can’t wait to hear the whole EP. Midnight Mob has also filmed a music video for “Swing On” and they plan on celebrate the video’s release with a party at DROM in NYC next Friday night (2/26). For more info on Midnight Mob and their new EP, Honest Brutal Glorious, visit MidnightMob.com.
And finally, my old Smoke Star singer and current Mercury Morning, Ivo Branko, has put together this amazing event to celebrate the life of fallen Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. The event will take place on March 10 at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ featuring performances by Silvergun Superman, a Stone Temple Pilots Tribute, and The Lounge Creeps, a one-time-only multimember collaboration brought together specially for this event. It includes musicians and singers from various area bands like Mercury Morning, Sixty Miles Down, Starbolt 9 and The John Rango Band, working together to bring about a unique once-in-a-lifetime performance of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver classics. All proceeds from the event will go to NCADD-NJ and Road Recovery, organizations who provide support in the battle against addiction. Again, that’s March 10 at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ. For more info, visit facebook.com/events/454820101374269.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
2/19—Full Scale Riot/Robots and Monsters/Unkempt Herald—The Clash Bar, Clifton, NJ
2/19—Who Killed Marilyn/Wolf Mojo/Sean Henry Tonight—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/20—The Starship Blues Project/Fever Vein/Natural Born Losers/The Dirty Stayouts—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
2/20—Fridays Child/Secret Sound/Big Shifter—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
2/20—EchoLab/REALITY SUITE/Chevonne and The Fuzz/Low Roads Ghost—The Clash Bar, Clifton, NJ
2/26—Zipperhead Productions Presents: The Rory Kelly Band/Natural Born Losers/Speed Queen—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
2/26—Joe Lynn Turner/Steve Bello—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
2/26—Vextion/Bobby Mahoney and The Seventh Son/Deaf Rhino—Paul’s Tavern, Lake Como, NJ
2/26—Midnight Mob/The Blackfires/Tempest City—DROM, NYC
2/26—Angelface/Headcase/Heavy Necker/Kosmic Daydream/Randy Haze Trio—The Clash Bar, Clifton, NJ
2/27—TRAPT/Ronin/SYKA/Legacy/Corevalay/Gathering After Ashes/Empire Fallen—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
2/27—Michael Graves/Negative Traction/Sometimes the Devil/Immoral Support/EXM/Wolves Attack—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
2/28—Joe Lynn Turner/Atom Strange—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
3/4—Dinasour Eyelids—Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ
3/9—FLAW/We…Our War/Maggotmouth/Palaceburn/Pyramids—The Backstage at Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ
3/10—Silvergun Superman/The Lounge Creeps—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
3/11—ACEY SLADE/Smash Fashion/CREEM CIRCUS/Ten Ton Mojo—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/12—“Shore Metal Madness IV”—Vision of Disorder/VSSLS/Cyperna/Scars of Envy/Stagger/We Our War/Ixion Lux/Paralysis/Eye of Anubis/Comb the Desert—Headliner Night Club, Neptune, NJ
3/12—RockitFest IV – Ogre/PRB Street Gang/Sinners/Sickness/The Dirty Stayouts—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/19—Four Year Strong/Light Years/Can’t Swim—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
