Liquor Boxx To the Face
by Leyla Hamedi
Staff Writer
The lilting, up and down, from hoarse to sweet vocals of Kevin Mace make Liquor Boxx sound like one of those coffee house rock bands so popular amongst the college crowd. The first song, “Ask Me To Stop” relies heavily on them to establish their swaggering tone. But the vocals change and mold themselves to whatever the style of each song is. So with the racing beat of, “Cheap Sex N Vodka” not to mention the funk beat that’s hinted at by the guitars, we get something that sounds like Michael Hutchence in a ‘70s rock band.
The heavy bass and tribal drumming of, “Evil Girl” makes the song seem like an improvised bluesy merengue. Especially with the Santana-like guitar cues scattered throughout. “Lonely Angel,” is a slow creeping number that seems suited for jazz bars with its languishing vocals and cymbal-happy drums.
We get back to the ‘70s rock band on the run feel with, “Rock Your Soul.” The quick, repetitive riff with the almost beat-poetry delivery of the lyrics gives it a rather hyperactive sort of energy. “Samantha Fox,” is in this style too except the INXS/Michael Hutchence comparison is even more apparent with the low breathy vocals that get more intense as the song continues on.
“Tomorrow,” is vastly different in that it’s so slow and melodic it seems almost acoustic at parts. But the excitable guitar is back with, “Up N Down Me,” and the record, with its always-present noodling and crashing cymbals, ends with a flourish.
Label: Refugee Entertainment
Band Members:
Kevin Mace- vocals
Patrick Creedon- guitar
Martin Farrelly- Bass
Johnny “Drama” Stoneking- drums
Track Listing:
Ask Me To Stop
Cheap Sex N Vodka
Evil Girl
Lonely Angel
Mr. Midnite
Numb Your Eyes
Rock Your Soul
Samantha Fox
Tomorrow
Up N Down Me
Web site: On MySpace
Hardrock Haven Rating: 7/10