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Live! at the Aztec Lounge - Seaside Heights
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If these guys had handed me their CD before I saw them live I might not have gave it much attention....If these guys had handed me their CD before I saw them live I might not have gave it much attention. I mean the band name is cutesy and
their CD was titled, Look How Awesome We Are, something I already hear from bands on
a weekly basis, but these Mt. Holly, New Jersians actually have the last preconceived laugh as they kicked my ass with their top-notch blend
of ska, punk and rock arrangements. Utilizing a three-piece horn section, Case Of The Mondays blew through a dozen or more tunes on this rainy Thursday, giving me the idea that
if Seaside Heights keeps opening their minds to music of this magnitude, their goddamned
parking tickets might not be the sole highlight of the summer.
Case Of The Mondays played as part of The Seaside Music Festival, out back of the Aztec to an appreciative crowd of faithful fans and festival-goers. It was a treat to watch a band really dig in and love what they do live, and not
take itself too seriously as they performed all 10 cuts from their latest disc, Look At How Awesome We Are, with said self-titled cut
dropping humorous verses like, “You’ve never seen anything like this before, fire and flame seep up through the floor.We bring the metal through the mantle crust and core all for a meager $5 at the door.”
Yep, humble and wise, Case Of The Mondays has spent their last several years constructively
opening for many national acts including legendary ska band The Toasters, Streetlight Manifesto, Mustard Plug, and Gym Class Heroes.
They have performed at renowned Philadelphia venues such as the Trocadero, Grape Street Philadelphia, and the Theater of Living Arts.
Their show reeked of college frat humor and slapstick bravado mixed with outrageous pro showmanship as all seven members raced up
to their mics at key points, jumping in the air with trombones, twirling trumpets and sax, spinning like veritable whirling dervishes and
criss-crossing each other in a choreographed chaos of non-stop ska punk action.
Case Of The Mondays gives you tons of talent and overdriven fun any day of the week. Check out their latest disc because
these guys are indeed awesome.
myspace.com/caseofthemondays.
Remember, you can also check us out online over at theaquarian.com for the best music news
in New Jersey, New York, and the world beyond. Comments are always encouraged here at the
Shoreworld as well as throughout each issue.
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Album Review
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Case of the Mondays
Swimmin' With Plus Size Women EP
[Indepdendent; 2005]
New Jersey's Case of ...Case of the Mondays
Swimmin' With Plus Size Women EP
[Indepdendent; 2005]
New Jersey's Case of the Mondays, whose name alone should be enough to draw in a listener or two, show their undeniable potential at every opportunity on Swimmin' With Plus Size Women. Hailing from the state that has given birth to more bands than the NHL has concussions, Case of the Mondays blend ska, rock, and reggae into their own infectious brand of melodies. Although their songs tend to often lack that explosive hook, their pure musical ability shines through at every possible opportunity throughout the course of the six showcased tracks.
The EP opens with quite possibly the strongest hook of all. "Regret" kicks off with an extremely catchy guitar riff, which is followed up by the raw, powerful voice of lead vocalist Jon Gray. To be quite honest, upon popping in this disc, I hoped to god that Case of the Mondays wouldn't turn out to be another mindless ska-punk band, with absolutely no idea of how a ska song should sound. But, quite on the contrary, the bands transition into the upstrokes is performed extremely smoothly. The track, which additionally features one of the strongest choruses i've heard is a long while, showcases the smooth ability of the bands horn section, which is comprised of tenor and alto saxophonist Brian Gannon and trombonist Bob Gordon. Following the fantastic opener comes "Plea of Insanity", which is more or less a pop-punk jam. The most prominent, noticable factor of this track, as well as throughout the running time of the entire disc, is the harmony Gray consistently provides the listener. "She Only Dates Black Guys" is a fun, upbeat, danceable gem, with quite humorous lyrics to boast. If you can't appreciate the bands music, I will be surprised if one doesn't let a slight chuckle slip. "24 Reasons", which by no means should be considered unworthy of attention, is quite easily the weakest track of the six, or at least in my honest opinion. The lyrics aren't half bad, but unfortunately contain a line describing a heart on a sleeve. It's safe to say i'm more than sick of such cliche lyrics, but despite that small fact, the song is quite enjoyable. The EP's fifth track, "She Sweats Him", is a bouncy ska-punk anthem. I'm personally a big fan of the switch in guitar work from the first verse to the second, and I applaud the band on their decision to add some flavour to the song. The main horn line, although slightly uninspired sounding at times, will have you humming along from the first note to the last. "Nothing In Common" closes off the disc, and brings quite an enjoyable close to the bands work. My only concern may be in the horn work at times. Although the playing is fantastic from beginning to end, the production makes it sound almost distant, and sort of boring at times. Other than that, the track is filled with sing-along hooks, and the band manages to display some of their best work to send listeners off with.
It's safe to say that Swimmin' With Plus Size Women is a pleasurable experience. Whether you're a fan of punk-infused ska jams or not, i'll be quite surprised if each listener doesn't find a little something to satisfy their tastes. The music is exciting, to say the least, and the band does a fantastic job of bringing their influences forward to create their own unique blast of satisfaction. In a state of music where there's a screamo band at every venue, and an indie band at every corner, New Jersey's Case of the Mondays put all their power and ability forward to keep the once booming ska scene alive. Pick up this disc if you have a chance, and I guarantee you that these six tracks will not go unnoticed.
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Local Band Is On The Way To Making It Big
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Most days, they are sleep diagnostic technicians, bus drivers, students, computer programmers. A few...Most days, they are sleep diagnostic technicians, bus drivers, students, computer programmers. A few nights a week, however, these 20-somethings drive to a warehouse in a shady part of Northeast Philadelphia, carry their instruments up a flight of dirty stairs, stuff into $400-a-month room and jam to their own version of ska.
This is the not-so-glamorous rock-and-roll life of Case of the Mondays, a six-member band based on Burlington County.
But it’s still rock and roll, and things are steadily getting better for the five-year-old band. Case of the Mondays has gotten FM radio airplay and scored gigs at the Grape Street Pub and World Café Live. On Wednesday, the group will play its biggest show so far, opening for three bands at the 1200-person Trocadero.
That doesn’t mean the guys will be able to quit their day jobs anytime soon. It certainly doesn’t mean they’ll get recognition or autograph requests by scores of fans.
"We’ll get done playing a show, and I get a lot of girls who come upto me and say, ‘Weren’t they good?’ I say ‘Yeah’" sighed drummer Jeff Stumpf, 28 of Burlington City.
"I’m 29," joked bassist Rob Harrigan, a Pemberton Township native. "If we don’t make it big by the time I’m 30, they’ll have to get a new bass player."
Case of the Mondays ska sound has a few obstacles to overcome
Case of the Mondays, which got its name from the movie "Office Space," has plenty of obstacles to making it big:
Except for the occasional tune like the Cars’ "Just What I Needed," the band plays original music. But most bars and small venues in south Jersey want groups that can play three-hour cover sets, and most venues in Philly are either too big or want them to play more often than they’d like.
Case of the Mondays plays a type of music, ska, that hasn’t been real popular since Reel Big Fish and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones went out of vogue more than a half decade ago.
"It’ll rear its head again," said lead singer and guitarist Jon Gray, 25, of Mount Holly. "But we’ve got a hip-hop sound. We’ve got a punk sound."
Making it big takes more than just preparation, perspiration and performance. It also takes plenty of promotion, and lead guitarist Dustin Dellinger estimates he’s on the Internet up to six hours a day, spreading the word about Case of the Mondays.
"I’s a part-time job that doesn’t really pay well," said Dusting Dellinger, 35, of Lumberton.
But the band - which also includes saxophonist Brain Gannon, 24, of Haddon Heights - aren’t playing for the money. They say they’re playing for the thrill of performing, the love of music, the feeling they get when song like "Nothing in Common" or "Regret" just clicks.
And...
"I was a nerd and wanted to develop my social skills," joked trombonist Bob Gordon, 20, of Springfield, Pa.
And...
"Girls," Harrigan said. "That’s the reason no one admits to."
For more information about Case of the Mondays visit www.caseofthemondays.net
