Shock Value is Making a Shock Wave
What do you get when you mix Coldplay, Smashing Pumpkins, and any Broadway show you've ever seen all together? The answer is Shock Value. This alternative/indie/rock band from Hazleton, Pa., has been slowly but surely growing their fanbase over the last four years and is setting up a path that will be sure to lead them to notable recognition.
Now, in the name of being honest, I'm telling you right now that I know these guys. We all went to High School together and I had almost every class with two of the members. I, along with most of Marian Catholic, saw the group perform their first show. It was at our school talent show of Junior year. Just to put that into perspective, I am now going into my Junior year of college.
In their short four years of being a group, Shock Value's lineup has varied immensely. Now with four members (Joey Letcher, Michael Dino, Matt Malloy, and Graham Wolk), the group has its set line-up ready for the long road ahead. Personally, I was convinced that at one point in time, the group had 12 members. After further discussion, I was told I was incorrect. However, the list of past members is certainly starting to stack up. With eight members previously being a part of the group and leaving for various reasons: schooling, different groups, or irreconcilable differences.
I was able to sit in on a recent Shock Value practice and got to hear some of the songs that they have been working on just for you guys. Despite being down one instrumentalist (no bass), I got the down low on all things SV. This is your inside scoop. I'm going to take you through the songs I've heard and we're going to break them down - to give you a look at what this band is really about. It'll be fun. Let's go along for the ride.
Stop - The first song the guys played for me. The song is filled with Malloy's fun drum fills and the Dino's catchy guitar riffs. This song had a Tiny Moving Parts-esque feel to me mixed with some older rock stuff as well. The song is about overcoming adversity and putting a stop to negative things in your life that might become obstacles in your future, and the guys say it's one of their personal favorites "to experience." Dino even marks this as a milestone for the group.
"It was really one of the first times where we were able to see that the band could be bigger than any of us, or all of us put together, really."
12:61 - This song was written a few hours before I showed up. It was completely new and still finding its feet but the foundation for a really great song has been laid out. It's very trippy - from the keyboards to the build up on cymbals, it gets you grooving. When you bring in the theatrical voice of lead singer, Letcher, the song is just slightly reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." For those of you who don't understand the title of the song, look no further.
"It's almost like this dream-scape place in time and space that doesn't exist (but could) and is only one minute from being reality, but will never actually happen." Dino said.
Phoenix - When I first heard this song, I told the guys that it was a mixture of old Shinedown mixed with "The Only Exception" by Paramore. They didn't see where I was coming from, but I'm convinced someone will. This song has gotten the most wear and tear from SV during their shows and is quickly becoming a fan favorite. As the song progresses, you can see that Letcher is just dying to get out from behind the piano and eventually, he gets his chance.
Staircase - I loved this song. I can definitely see it becoming one of those "scream the lyrics in the car ride with my best friend," songs. I say that because when it starts, my mind automatically connects it with "Ironic," by Alanis Morissette. The song has heavy backing vocals and has a definite Radiohead influence.
Malloy, the drummer, told his band mates that this song, "sounds like something that would play almost in your head, like a self-motivated movie soundtrack, as you walk around a college campus at night in winter." If you've been reading this site long enough, you know we call that, an indie-movie moment.
It honestly is incredible seeing how far these guys have come in such a short amount of time. I love seeing how they are going to differentiate themselves next. Their lead singer has a theater voice. That's apparent and anyone who is listening can tell. That means it is different. You don't hear that in many indie bands.
If the guys continue moving in the direction they're headed, I see no reason why they wouldn't be successful. If they keep pushing the envelope just a little bit further, they'll be just fine. Without a risk there is no reward. Shock Value is still somewhat new. In the long stretch, four years isn't that long. I predict they'll hunker down (yes, I just said that) a more precise sound - a better incorporation of the significant differences between their songs into a well-mixed essence. I think eventually they might be more specific in what the songs are about.
When I asked about the topic of the songs, they beat around the bush. Which is understandable. Songs are personal. They are about people, experiences, and places that are all very much real. One of the reasons they don't explain is because they want everyone to take their own experiences away from it and make their own connection. However, sometimes, audiences need a little push.
Right now, the guys are in the studio working on their first EP called: "The Shock Wave EP," which is an ode to the common misprint of the group's name. The EP will feature four songs and be available for fans at the end of the summer. After that, they are back in the studio (during their schooling breaks) to record their album: "The Death of a Star and the Birth of a Comet."
If anyone is interested in hitting up the band's shows or listening to some more music, I'll leave the links below. Their biggest show: Woodshock (a play on Woodstock and Shock Value) will be held at the Tamaqua Community Arts Center on June 25. Show dates and other information can be found on the group's Facebook page. Follow them on Twitter as well: @SV_The_Band
Check out a sample of a song from "Shock Wave" on their Youtube right now! Or listen to the link below! Either way, listen
