With Mo7s hard at work on Album #3, you had to know you’d be hearing samples of what the rock and roll couple has been working on over the past few months.
After unveiling a fresh new sound on the funky, upbeat single, “Move,” Mo7s has gone a more tender, romantic route with follow-up, “You’re My Everything.”
Artist: Jon Smith’s Voyages
Album: Indeed (LISTEN)
Released: Nov. 2, 2016
Genre: Pop Rock
At first, you may think – from the full sound and intricate, plentiful instrumentation of “Indeed” – that Jon Smith’s Voyages is comprised of a small orchestra. No one man could produce the variety of sounds from the number of instruments (19, including vocals) featured here.
We’re here to tell you how wrong you are.
Reading-based power pop band The Undercoats are buzzing about their debut release, “Save the Worm.” In fact, the quintet is so excited that they’re giving fans an inside look at the creative process.
The year was 1994. The venue was The Crowbar in State College, PA. It was an opening gig for The Badlees, one of the biggest bands in central PA. The club was packed with rowdy college kids.
We hit the stage and, to my surprise, the people there really seemed to like us! It was the beginning of a great relationship with the central PA music scene. The band was called Earth to Bob, and I was their drummer.
After that night, we played countless shows up and down the east coast, feeling most at home in places like The Firehouse or The Silo in Reading, Shakey’s in Hershey, The Courtyard in New Cumberland and many, many more. We recorded our second CD, “Toll Roads and Detours,” at the legendary Green Room in Harrisburg. It was a truly joyful time in my life. Touring around in our converted baby blue short bus, hearing our songs on the radio, hanging with great people and meeting cool new friends was a great ride.
There were many other outstanding bands that were a part of that scene, too, like The Jellybricks, Rob Reilly and 78 West, who made that scene come alive in the mid-90s.
A lot has changed since then. Some of us went on to become lawyers, teachers, and construction workers. Most of us have families with kids now. Through it all, we’ve never lost our love of music.
I’m really happy to be playing again with my band, Go Evolution. As far as the other guys in Earth to Bob, Jeff Bishop has been recording a lot with Rob Reilly as part of their duo, Bishop/Reilly. Todd Johnston is also at work in a new studio, and we are patiently awaiting new material. Matt Thomas continues to record and play live in several bands.
I’m looking forward to being a part – even if it’s a small part – of the Pennsylvania music scene once again. Judging from some of the music I hear on The Quinn Spinn, PA still has some really great talent.
Coming from New Jersey, I’m feeling the itch for a road trip pretty soon!
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Matt Phillips is the singer and guitarist for alternative rock band, Go Evolution. Listen and learn more at GoEvolution.com.
This episode of QSLehighValley, sponsored by The Valley Ledger, is highlighted by an interview with Amy Tomaszewski, lead vocalist of versatile Reading-based duo, Mo7s.
Track listing:
The Groove Merchants – John the Savage
The Band of Rivals – Dust to Dust
Mo7s – Why
Mo7s – Verb Your Noun
Rofo Audio – Circle Back
Site Unknown – Stand
The Beautiful Distortion – Left in Flames
Artist: M07s
Release: Hate Mail from a Love Child (LISTEN)
Genre: Rock/blues/country/other
There are so many different influences at play in Mo7s’ debut album, “Hate Mail from a Love Child,” that it’s hard to nail the Reading-based band down to a particular genre. There’s definite rock, blues and country there, but also some jazz (as heard with the trumpet solo on “Urgent”) and electronica (on an updated version of Van Morrison’s “Moondance”) that makes this band unpredictable.
That unpredictability is what is so enjoyable about “Hate Mail from a Love Child,” and is also the product of Mo7s experimenting with assistance from 19 different musicians throughout the course of the record.
One of those musicians, lead vocalist Amy Tomaszewski, came into the project to lend vocals to one song, but it’s easy to see why she stuck around as an official member. Her soulful delivery has punch on tracks like the album opener, “Why,” and is equally as reflective on the tender, bluegrass-infused “Sweet Young Kid.”
Instrumentally, the spirit of experimentation is strong. Mo7s founder Dave Lewis gives interesting, unexpected interpretations on covers like “Moondance” and ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses,” and fuses music styles constantly, as on “Sleepwalk,” with its sleepy, yet powerfully-delivered chords over doo-wop rhythms.
Because of Mo7s’ versatility on “Hate Mail from a Love Child,” they could go in any direction on a follow-up release. They’ve given themselves a lot to work with, and it should make for more exciting results down the line.