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Crush
(Red Fields Entertainment)
The press release for this, the debut from the local prog rock outfit the Krypton Monkeys, boasts that the band makes the kind of music that was popular 30 years ago but still gets airplay today. That's an apt summary of the disc, which sounds like it was recorded during another era. It doesn't come as a surprise that Asia keyboardist Erik Norlander was the guy to encourage Krypton singer-guitarist Ron Redfield to put this band together. Songs such as album opener "Selfish Love" and "Last Refrain" feature the kind of breathless vocals you used to hear in Asia tunes. These guys can certainly play — the guitar work in "Save Me" is spectacular — but their approach sounds terribly outdated. Recorded at Suma Recording, the album sounds sharp too. It just doesn't sound relevant.
kryptonmonkeys.com
The Krypton Monkeys perform with Tim Bradach at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the Beachland Tavern - The Cleveland Scene Magazin
(Cleveland OH) The Krypton Monkeys album features ten tracks of melodic hard rock with a progressive spin. With a symphonic sound that puts meat on the bones of the songs, the Krypton Monkeys produce the kind of music that bands made 30 years ago and that are still getting airplay today.
The band members include lead guitarist/vocalist Ron Redfield, keyboardist/vocalist John McLaughlin, drummer Jim Dudash, and lead vocalist Bobby Huszar, all veteran players who knew each other from Cleveland’s music scene.
The band came together after Redfield played on a couple of tracks for progressive rock keyboardist/producer Erik Norlander of Asia about four years ago. He was inspired to take another look at the songs he’d been writing for years “to see which songs I thought were worthy of doing something with but never got my attention.”
Crush was produced by Redfield, who recorded the basic tracks at Cleveland’s SUMA Recording. He then sent the recorded tracks to former Clevelander producer/engineer Mike Farona, of Middle C Music Studios in Nashville.
“We would communicate what I was looking for,” says Redfield. “We’d start with one mix and keep going until we had all the tracks done.” All the tracks feature Huszar’s potent, heartfelt vocals, enhanced by lush harmonies provided by Redfield and McLaughlin, Dudash’s propulsive drumming, McLaughlin’s full-bodied keyboard textures, and Redfield’s biting, forceful guitar leads.
“I’ve always been a Foreigner type of guy,” says Redfield, connecting the Krypton Monkeys to their roots. “That’s how I write. I would call it rock with a pop edge. I always make sure there are harmonies. I always make sure there’s a hook in every song.”
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Track Listing
1.SELFISH LOVE 4:47
2.SHAME 3:26
3.SAVE ME 4:11
4.LAST REFRAIN 5:07
5.BREAKIN ALL THE RULES 5:30
6.DEFENDERS BAIN 4:42
7.EMPTY EYES 6:38
8.TEMPORARY LIFE 4:50
9.GARDEN OF THE MOON 2:23
10. ASTROLOGY PRELUDE 4:19 - Mi2n
The Krypton Monkeys are a new band of veteran Cleveland musicians.
Guitarist Ron Redfield, who played in many local bands going back to the ’80s, formed the group about three years with the idea of playing the type of anthemic hard rock with progressive underpinnings that he’d cut his teeth on. He’d just worked on some album tracks with L.A.-based keyboardist/producer Erik Norlander, which inspired him to put a fresh spin on material he’d written in the past two decades.
He enlisted some other local scene veterans —drummer Jim Dudash, keyboardist/vocalist John McLaughlin, and lead vocalist Bobby Huszar — to do a show. They liked the resuls so well that the Krypton Monkeys were born,
Now they’ve got a full-length album Crush, featuring material by Redfield and McLaughlin, as well as new versions of the pair of tracks by Norlander that Redfield played on.
If you liked bands like Foreigner, Asia, and Europe, you’ll love the Krypton Monkeys. They’ll be celebrating their record release at the Beachland Tavern. Tim Bradach will close the evening.
The $10 admission includes a copy of the album. - CoolCleveland
Discography
The Krypton Monkeys - CRUSH
The Krypton Monkeys are:
Ron Redfield - Guitars
John McLaughlin - Keyboards
Bobby Huszar - Lead Vocals
Jim Dudash - Drummer
www.kryptonmonkeys.com
Executive Producer - Jim Quinn
Produced By Ron Redfield
Associate Producer Michael Farona
Recorded at Suma Recording Studios
Engineered By Paul Hamann
Mixed & Mastered By Michael Farona, Middle C Music Nashville, TN
Cover Art By - HuaLu
Art Direction - Jim Dudash
Photos
Bio
Emerging from the Cleveland music scene less than three years ago, the quartet of seasoned players brings a contemporary spin to melodic hard rock with progressive roots. With a symphonic sound that puts meat on the bones of the songs, the Krypton Monkeys produce the kind of music bands made 30 years ago that still gets airplay today.
Lead guitarist Ron Redfield conceived the band after playing on a couple of album tracks for progressive rock keyboardist/producer Erik Norlander of Asia.
That inspired him to start going through the material hed penned over the last 20 years to see which songs I thought were worthy of doing something with but never got my attention.
He put together a band to play a gig to take the material out for a spin, recruiting drummer Jim Dudash, keyboardist/vocalist John McLaughlin, and lead vocalist Bobby Huszar.
(Individually and collectively these musicians has provided support to some of the biggest names in rock opening up to such groups as Peter Frampton, Thin Lizzy, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Blue Oyster Cult, Joe Walsh, Jefferson Starship, Grand Funk Railroad Guffria, Humble Pie, Jason Bonham, and REO Speedwagon to name a few.)
Something clicked. After the gig, everybody said, keep it going, Redfield recalls. So they did. All four members of the band are experienced veterans whod known each other a long time, so they meshed quickly.
Redfield played with popular Ohio cover band Quick, working in his own tunes when he could, before forming the all-original band Dreamstreet in the 90s.
McLaughlin and Dudash both played in a variety of groups from rock bands to touring lounge acts, honing their impressive chops.
Huszars roots go back to when he fronted the popular band North River Street Rock Collection. Hes continued to perform over the years, both in rock bands and special occasion groups.
Once theyd decided to make the band an ongoing project, the next step was getting the music recorded. Redfield turned to former Clevelander Mike Farona, producer/engineer and owner of Middle-C Music Studios in Nashville.
I would record basic tracks at SUMA [in Cleveland, Ohio], and I would send them to Mike in Nashville, says Redfield. We would communicate what I was looking for. Wed start with one mix and keep going until we had all the tracks done.
The result is an album titled Crush, released in August 2013. It features ten tracks, including the two by Norlander that Redfield had played on and used on his own album with Norlanders OK.
Seven tunes were penned by Redfield, several in collaboration with McLaughlin. One track the instrumental Defenders Bain was written by McLaughlin.
Redfield describes the songs as rock with a little twist of progressiveness in them. The solid rhythm section ably supports the full-bodied keyboard textures and lush vocal harmonies, with Redfields forceful guitar leads giving the tunes some rock n roll bite.
Ive always been a Foreigner type of guy, says Redfield. Thats how I write. I would call it rock with a pop edge. I always make sure there are harmonies; I always make sure theres a hook in every song. Through the vocals and keyboard textures, its melodic but its got hard-rocking guitar.
Working with Erik opened another door to try another genre of music, he adds, referring to the musics progressive aura, like the embellishments that expand at pop tune like Empty Eyes to nearly seven minutes.
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