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Following a 2002 EP and a number of live performances in the Midwest and along the East Coast, Chicago- based Los Osos Scandalosos deliver a promising debut LP marked by the quintet’s meticulous attention to balancing song craft with jammy tendencies.
The explosive “Velocity” kicks off the album. Thick guitars and spastic drums lay a convincing guise over nostalgic lyrics, and are all brought together in a syrupy hook yielding a composition that can best be described as what Green Day might sound like if they were a classic rock band. The Tony Grusich-penned “The One Who Was,” is an iridescent ballad that wears Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” on its sleeves while “You Had It Coming” solders trippy riffs with Mike Cheever’s aggressive, snarled vocals. The only song on Patterns of Matter that delves into the Pabst fueled improvisation that often proves to be the highlight of their live shows is the 10 minute “Where Do We Go?” The song actually stays comparatively delicate to other material on the album before concluding with a sublimely melodic feedback drone that would make Thurston Moore or Billy Corgan blush.
The album is a remarkable achievement for a band that spends the majority of the year apart from one another. Granted, the 10 song LP’s release was nearly a two year process, yet regardless of whether or not Los Osos Scandalosos decide to make music a full time gig following graduation, Patterns Of Matter should always be one of their most cherished creative efforts.
- Graham Golbuff - Static Multimedia
Los Osos Scandalosos is not the world beat collective its name might imply. The primary territory this five-man crew occupies is the blues - not the hot-branded kind nurtured in Chicago clubs, but the cool-breezed flavor heard outdoors on the Southern jam band circuit with bands like Widespread Panic and next generation Allman Derek Trucks.
The first song off this four-song EP is not far from those groups. It hinges on one clunky funk groove that brakes for - watch out - a bass solo and later six string wankery you wish was as scandalous as the bands name promises. Prolonged solos can liven up a crowd, but on record, they tend to be one hundred percent fat.
That is until so nicely strewn through the rest of this disc. Lead guitarist and singer Tony Grusich proves he's a savvier songwriter and guitarist on "And I Try." His slurpy guitar licks and rich arrangement make this the most engaging song here. He ends with a solo, too, except here it benefits from his light touch - he expertly holds back rather than dumping all he's got and it beams through.
The rest of the disc has a similar luxuriant cool to it, deepened by Grusich's whiskey-scratched vocals and understated guitar touch. Twinkling percussion and a skilled trumpet liven up "Stop and Think" which Grusich compliments with a emotionally-lit and punchy solo of his own.
And while "Like A Crime" might be mistaken as straightforward blues, Los Osos Scandalosos lights it with intrigue and it pulls you into its shadows. - Mark Guarino - Daily Herald Music Critic
Discography
Los Osos Scandalosos, self-titled demo EP, 2002
Debut LP, "Patterns of Matter", August 2005
Photos
Bio
Los Osos Scandalosos emerged from Evanston, Illinois, in the shadows of Chicago, during the summer of 1999. The band was born of age-old friendships and late-night basement jams while all of the members were still attending high school. Despite spending the past few years attending college hundreds (even thousands) of miles apart, the band maintains its deep connection and continues to evolve. In 2005, they released their first LP, Patterns of Matter, 100% independently, and have continued focusing their sound, a percussive blast of guitar rock that covers the dynamic spectrum. The quintet is notorious for its powerful live performances, which have won over audiences in Chicago and across the Northeast. Recently Los Osos toured the East Coast for the 2nd time, playing in Boston, NYC, Burlington, Syracuse, and DC among other places. Influences range from the Allman Brothers to Jeff Buckley to Wilco, Broken Social Scene and the Smashing Pumpkins.
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