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It's no big secret that this so-called 'nu-metal' has become stagnated
and played out. With so many bands sounding exactly the same the
only way to tell them apart is by which masks their wearing. Well,
within this mix of pre-packaged, cookie-cutter hard rock comes a
bunch of New York white boys that aren't afraid to color outside
the lines and sway away from main stream expectations. The Sound
of Urchin are four New York dudes who go by the names Tomato11; Hollywood
Scotty Choc; Doo Doo Brown and The Reverend B. Ill. Their RCA debut,
"You Are The Best" is just as zany and unpredictable as their names
and comes across as a roller-coaster ride of popular and underground
culture that blends perfectly into an original format.
The Sound of Urchin are an inventive funky bunch whose sound is that
of Outkast, George Clinton & the Beastie Boys all partying on ecstasy.
With fun, up-beat, senseless rhymes that are catchy and addictive
they manage to touch on today's pop sound without being a pop band.
Musically their on point, this is clearly a group full of well learned
musicians who must have gotten fed up with today's musical standards
and in effect through the rule-book right out the window and decided
to do things their own way.
"This is our F.U. to the current state of music," admits singer/drummer
Tomato11 (AKA Chris Harfenist), "What we set out to do was make an
album that takes every song and goes completely into a different
world of it's own. I don't want to hear the same song 12 times on
an album with no substance, no challenge and no spontaneity and nothing
new."
On the surface you can say that The Sound of Urchin is another rap/rock/punk
band, but you'd be mistaken. Sure, they rap and endure that oh so
loosely described 'punk' sound, but scratch a bit deeper and you'll
uncover their vagrant originality and in-your-face twist on today's
pop culture that will challenge the main stream public and confuse
the TRLers. "The one thing that hold's it all together is the Urchin
vibe. Rather than just one genre that we're committed to." explains
Tomato11, "I want people to listen to the album today and find the
songs they like and then in a couple of months they can listen to
it again and they'll find something totally different. Then maybe
one day they'll pick it up and say, 'oh, I get this song.' Look,
I have nothing against pop hits, but I want it to come on our terms."
It is the 'Urchin vibe' that sets them apart from the pack, but when
a band steps out from the sacred mold to go and venture on their
own terms they may not always be understood or appreciated by the
spoon fed. But, Tomato11 and the boys wouldn't have it any other
way. "When we go out there and play people either love us or despise
us and I don't want any in-between, I want people to have strong
feelings either way. I have no time to be a mediocre band.. There's
too much mediocrity out there. So, if we're scaring people by doing
stuff that's different then what they're used to then I think that
a positive thing."
Tomato 11 is a cross between Beck, AD Rock and Micky Dolenz. His
likable tongue & cheek style and delivery come across through every
beat. As both drummer and singer, Tomato11 carries the back-beat
and front vocals at the same time, this gives their live show a whole
new dimension and the audience gets a completely different vibe then
they'd get from your average rock band. "Everyone needs to have that
drum set up in the front." Says Tomato11, "It's amazing thing to
have my bass drum right at the front of the stage. Our live show
is really, really aggressive, we stick to more of the heavier Urchin
stuff when we're live. We get charged up and we want to slay the
crowd. Sure, I get winded every once in a while, but that exactly
where I wanna be."
Be sure to catch 'The Urchin Vibe' this Wednesday, March 27th
at Irving Plaza when Tomato11 and The Sound of Urchin come to town
to rock our socks off.
For more info on The Sound Of Urchin
Relevant sites:
www.soundofurchin.com
Don Sill for Crud Magazine 2002©
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