The Myonics

I don’t know where they got the name, but somehow The Myonics is perfect for this band.  (It’s something unexplainable about the way the name feels based on how the music sounds.)  When my friend Mateo, guitarist of the Cobalt Cranes, first turned me onto The Myonics I heard ‘That’s the end of That’ for about 3 seconds and was in.  They’ve got a sound that’s difficult to describe; it’s certainly creative; possibly mainstream, but far from poppy or basic.  The music is always interesting, and from track to track it’s unclear what you are going to get.  There’s definitely psychedelic realms being evoked, the occasional more heavily rockin’ stuff bordering on melodic-punk-psyche, and sometimes an electronic sound infused from what I think must be some type of keys or synth.  Then there’s Jasper’s ultra deep, dirty, monotonous voice that works so well with the music and the ever interesting, intriguing and somewhat bizarre lyrics.  The whole composition is intelligent.  With a lovely female vocalist highlighting Jasper’s throaty words, and sometimes taking lead herself, I am irresistibly drawn to think of the Velvet Underground (with Lou Reed and Maureen Tucker doing their thing to music that’s clearly about doing your own thing).

The Myonics’ latest album – O Africa, Brave Africa! – has surfaced, and I would run the risk of offending by suggesting that this album sees a more mature band.  Actually, I’d rather suggest a slightly evolved Myonics, as I could not imply or suggest that their previous material is at all immature.  There are indeed some lovely tracks on ‘O Africa’, and I am delighted and excited to be able to include them on Dirty Hippie Radio.

~Dirty Jeff