Some of my favorite memories come with a soundtrack. One of the authors of that soundtrack is Long Island native Revel 9, another one is Craving Strange, a third is Last Turn off Broadway.
There are millions of rock bands. Most are the indie variety some are lucky enough to hot the mainstream like U2. I personally choose Revel 9 over all of them and not think twice. DJ, Kaz, Tony and Noodle are the equivalent of garage poets. They are equal parts lyrics and melody. You see the universe through DJ’s voice, you feel the grit coming from Kaz’s strings.
By conventional knowledge DJ should never be a vocalist- let alone lead vocals, but I couldn’t picture anyone else pulling this off but him. Revel 9’s song Quietmind, tell you all you need to know about this band. Quietmind is personal, reflective, and angry. It’s just a great song, by a great band.
Craving Strange is in some ways, the opposite of Revel 9. They are very polished. They are the best showmen I’ve seen in forever. The current line up with Jimmy G, Frank Guertin, Chris Monte and Jimi Tassone just work. Craving Strange is the type of band that gets on stage, kicks ass, and then finished a bottle of Jameson with their fans. Everyone leaves with a smile after a Craving Strange show!
