Visual Sound: Issue 25
Return To Earth
“The Slicer”
With members from Dover, Jersey City and Cranford, Return To Earth, or RTE, used to be metal but now this trio is undeniably electronica. You can even call them synth-wave. Classifications be damned. “The Slicer” is from their Octavius EP (due May 10). Drummer Chris Pennie used to be in The Dillinger Escape Plan. Now he’s all digital, doesn’t even own a drum set anymore, but provides beats, produces, engineers and made this video. Ron Scalzo sings and plays synthesizer. Guitar Hero Bret Aveni keeps the band tethered to rock’n’roll. Go figure.
Eddie Skuller’s Reggae Jukebox
“Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”
This groove-laden cover of Culture Club’s 1982 international #1 (seven countries) is roots-reverent in approach yet adds a cool modernistic sheen. Eddie Skuller’s Reggae Jukebox, out of Jersey City, hired acclaimed reggae musician/producer Victor Rice for its final mix of a song that transcends generations to be an anthem for all. Recorded in Whippany at Alpha Wave, and buoyed by bassist Steve Capecci’s almighty throb, I dare say it’s better than the original!
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Lupe Dragon
“Cruise Control”
She’s out of Wayne and the girl can rock. She just can’t help it. Growing up, she loved Alanis Morissette, Paramore, Linkin Park, Dashboard Confessional and Avil Lavigne. As produced by Matt Pelosi, with lead guitar chops by Teddy Owen, the song is a keeper. She tells us,”for the longest time I've been experimenting with different styles with little to no avail. I am a rock kid at heart and always have been. What I'm doing now with music stays true to this, and I'm glad `Cruise Control’ is part of this era... just being me authentically as a person and a musician."
Mass Confusion Band
“Monkeys Dance”
Rich Stefanik and Glen Shaw—known collectively as Mass Confusion—used to be a quintet in the late ‘70s who formed through a classified ad in the back pages of the Aquarian Weekly. Now they’re a duo writing quirky originals in Stefanik’s home studio in Monmouth County’s Atlantic Highlands. If you like this one, check out their new “Without You.”