'Places'

I have had quite a few music reviews in the works for several years now and I’ve decided to release the flood gates. What better way to start than with probably the best named band that I know, Simple Minded Symphony!

What makes them so aptly named? The level of technique they apply to their instruments, (two members have university degrees in performance and they have songs with plenty of dual harmonies and key changes). If you’re looking for a band that wants to hang with Streetlight Manifesto in regards to the complexity and songwriting chops, you’ll find those bands all over the country, but if you want a band that can ACTUALLY hang with SM, this is your band.

So the moniker of Symphony fits easily without me putting much digital ink to that purpose, but why ‘Simple Minded?’ For the same reason most people can clap out the rhythm to ‘We Will Rock You,’ by Queen, or that Journey resurfaced in the early 2000s: there is virtuoso level talent in these groups, but their aim was to write sing-a-long choruses and catchy melodies, rather than use the stage as a means for flaunting their musical prowess. These guys arrange complex songs, record them all professionally themselves and are some of the smartest musicians I have ever met, but they are doing it for the pure enjoyment and have a humbleness that makes the scene around them that much better. So what does this sound like?

Something you never heard before, at least not amalgamated in such a way:

-There are plenty of arrangements played by the ‘traditional’ Ska horns with trumpets, trombone and saxes throwing it down, but SMS is hardly a 'If it ain't broke, don't try anything else,' band and from time to time and will bring a flute or clarinet into the mix. Personally, I am holding out for Oboe, Bassoon, or Contrabass Clarinet down the road ;).

-There is plenty of moments that shift between skate punk speed, reggae hooks and, 'Don’t tell Toh Kay you call it Ska,' moments, but it’s clear the influences go further. In fact, while on a lazy listen some people will make the Streetlight comparison and not dig deeper, there’s so much more there. In fact, while Streetlight has a lot of Eastern European and Klezmer sounds, but, there is more of a brighter jazzy sound to SMS and I would actually set Chicago alongside that post-Catch 22 group when it comes to what hear.

-There’s also the better parts of early to mid 2000s emo / pop punk in there that mix well with the horns. You’ll never hear the horns weakly ‘Doot’ themselves over eggshells, but you also won’t hear Kaine play exclusively clean muted upstrokes or distorted power chords with the middle swooped on the equalizer, nor does Josh Servania settle for straight ahead punk gallops, or loud / quiet four-on-the-floor with his kit. Seriously, go listen to ‘Memory Card,’ one of my favorites on this album and enjoy the superb sonic stimulation of syncopated segments. I get an abrasive and horny 'Boys' Don't Cry' Vibe, to the Kooks meets Tom Jones in a Dunlop pedal, to a bridge that would have kicked Mineral's ass to a outro that's the Flutie little brother of a Seals and Croft hit. Does any of that last sentence make sense? Well if it has you more confused, just go listen and piece it together yourself :)

-Finally, three guys that could be front men in their own right at any point. Kevin sings most of the lead vocals, but on Raincoat, one of the best parts is the subtle transition to Kaine taking over the mic for the bridge. And then, for the finale in another one of my favorites, ‘Mind Blind,’ Kevin, Kaine and Jason bust out a three part harmony! All spot on and glorious from the vocal perspective.

So, I hope I have hyped this enough that you stopped reading about two paragraphs ago and got over to the Simple Minded Symphony band camp page for 'Places' which can be found at: https://simplemindedsymphony.bandcamp.com/album/places

While there, they have some older stuff and a newer single, "Mixed Up," which you should also give a listen and experience your new favorite band: Simple Minded Symphony.