Loud Apartment.

Some music is just so colorful and unapologetically enthusiastic that it yanks you right out of your seat and takes you to whatever destination it has in mind. The title track of Get Up Get Down, with its drum barrage, twinkling synths, buzzing walls of guitars, takes a while to get to that point, but once it climaxes, the various elements all running over each other in a desperate haze, man, it travels. The music has the polish of any excellent production, but it just breathes, every instrument taking part in a continuous dialogue, all unfolding behind the thoughtful narrative of the lyrics. There’s a wonderfully authentic flavor to the whole affair, the bustling atmosphere developing naturally, and the band reaches an irresistible euphoria as each song dares the next to top it. It’s a melting pot of music straight out the world’s greatest melting pot, and it tastes like so many different things that keeping track of all the layers can be dizzying. But the uninitiated need not worry; this is everybody’s celebration. If my plea for your presence hasn’t taken you into the zone already, then here’s the next step you should take: stop reading. There’s a shiny link right above this review. Click it. Then press the play button, and your journey into this warm, weird, wonderful world will begin. - wasfuersohr (Germany)

Get Up Get Down is Loud Apartment’s first full length album featuring 10 tracks of original material that touch upon the band’s unique New York City based sound. The album was mixed by legendary producer and musician Bill Laswell, and features two time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame keyboardist Bernie Worrell (P-Funk, Talking Heads) on select tracks, Mix Translation: Bill Laswell, and Garrison Hawk.

Digitally available on iTunes and CDs available exclusively at Other Music in NYC!


“Loud Apt. makes great music, with impressive syncopation, and a really original sound. It’s music that gets the party going, but with excellent craftsmanship, drawing from a wide range of influences, and coming together to create a unique and compelling style. My wife (Ethiopian singer Gigi) and I really enjoy their music”. ??Bill Laswell-Grammy Winning Musician and Producer ??Loud Apt. is a NYC based rock band known for it’s exciting live shows that feature the bands danceable grooves, extended improvisations, innovative use of video, and frequent collaborations with guest musicians, vocalists, and dancers. ??Led by singer, producer, and Manhattan native Nevaris Crawford, the band has appeared throughout NYC at clubs such as S.O.B.’s, The Blue Note, Galapagos Arts Space, and Santos Party House. In 2008 the band performed as the Headlining act of The Uncomun Festival with two time rock and roll hall of fame musician Bernie Worrell (P-Funk, Talking Heads) on keyboards , and returned to Uncomun 2010 held at Santos Party House for a watershed performance that closed out the night (link) ??Loud Apt. has recently completed it’s first EP, mixed by legendary producer Bill Laswell, and featuring Bernie Worrell on select tracks. The album showcases the bands distanct musical style, featuring nevaris’s syncopated vocal stylings backed by a dexterous set of grooves. The EP can be downloaded at www.loudapt.com/ep ??The current lineup features Nevaris Crawford on vocals, Matt Dickey on guitar, James Bertuzzi on drums, Angel Rodriguez on precussion, Chris Kunitz on Bass, and Pete on keyboards.
- wheatsbeat

Ever since I first saw Loud Apt. grace the stage of Public Assembly in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in 2008, I’ve been in love with their sound. It’s a wonderful amalgam of funk, soul, groove, disco and swagger that always keeps my toes tapping, my head bopping and my soul filled with joy. And no matter where I might be listening to their tunes, I always feel as though I’ve been transported to New York City. There’s just something about Loud Apt.’s sound that seems to evoke the vibrant landscape of the city that never sleeps.


Loud Apt. lead singer Nevaris
Their latest record, Get Up Get Down, is a collection of tracks that works as the the upbeat soundtrack to the bustling lifestyle of the Big Apple. Throw your headphones on and walk around the hip streets of Brooklyn, the restaurant-lined avenues of Hell’s Kitchen, the frenetic chaos of Times Square, the neighborhoods of Washington Heights or along the Highline — Loud Apt.’s music is made for urban exploration. And even if you’re not in these areas, the music will paint you a vivid picture of the city with beach bass slap, guitar riff and drum beat, and that’s even if you’re driving through the rolling hills of Pennsylvania or the sleepy winter beachfront of New Jersey.

For those who’ve been following Loud Apt. for as long as I have, you’ll notice that a number of cuts on Get Up Get Down are songs that the band has performed live for a number of years. So, the inclusion of tracks like “Siberia,” “Shaker,” “Flippin’ The Disco Switch” and “Come With Me” are a welcome aural experience — these songs are long time staples of the band for a reason.

The album also includes newer tracks like “Don’t Stop Trying” and “When It’s Over” — both supercool additions to LA’s catalog. “When It’s Over” is especially interesting since it eschews from lead singer Nevaris’ normal funk ‘n’ swagger vocals and evokes more an ethereal, free spirit, almost psychedelic style. It’s a bold choice to include such a vocally disparate song on the album — a choice that you’ve got to both respect and appreciate.

Other stand out tracks on the album includes the title tracK, which is just a majestically funky track that gets your body moving. There’s a brilliant musical climax in the song where a distorted organ and guitar come together competing for all the passion and energy in your being.

Personally, one of my all-time favorite Loud Apt. tracks is “Hope You Feel For Me.” This is a pure party anthem, perfect for that hip NYC roof party. It’s such an alive, fun anthem that you’d have to be the biggest bummer in the world not to want to get out there and dance.

Get Up Get Down is an album of music that captures the life, energy and excitement of New York City. It’s the type of music that lift you out of the doldrums and make you remember how much fun music can be. - pop-break.com

“Music should always have a groove to it; it should have a kick to it. You gotta have a groove in order to get people up and dance to your music.”

These words are the heart and soul of the band Loud Apartment who are currently in the midst of promoting the release of their eponymous EP as well as their headlining gig at the Uncomun Festival at Santo’s Party House on Saturday November 6.

The band are purveyors of a sound called “heavy funk” infusing classic funk grooves with hip-hop cadence and swagger, classic rock riffs and just enough disco to make you get out of your seat and dance to the beat. This shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows Nevaris (Loud Apt’s lead singer). Growing up on 110th Street, he was surrounded by music. His family lived in a “loud apartment” with classical and jazz musicians jamming on either side of them, rock bands performing above and below them, boom boxes blasting beats in their parking lot til 4am and soulful groups rehearsing in the old church across the way. These crazy aural influences combined with his own love of hippie jam bands and classic rock were the impetus for Nevaris to make being in a band or being in the music industry his life’s work.

Loud Apartment's lead singer Nevaris

His passion came to fruition when he was asked to help book a show in Brooklyn at the old music venue Galapagos (now Public Assembly) in Williamsburg. “I talked a lot of shit about how I knew all these crazy musicians and then I finally got called out on it.”

The show was called The Uncomun Festival and after its initial success it became a monthly artist collective show that incorporated local musicians, DJs, artists, dancers, poets, MCs and visual artists into one big ball of fun and creative expression. Nevaris was the main organizer of the monthly event and also was a member of the backing band for all musicians who came on stage.

“We had one set-up on stage and a bunch of us would be the backing band for the MCs, singers and so on who performed.” The collective group of musicians eventually formed the first incarnation of what would become Loud Apartment.

The band would begin recording the music Nevaris had been writing for years.

The eponymous EP, released this week, is the collection of years of work from Nevaris and his army of musicians that have helped collaborate to create this record. The music is decidedly New York — it has an urban, groovy, bombastic sense to it. It’s full of the type of head bopping iPod tunes you listen to on the subway or walking down a busy city street. It’s the soundtrack to any house party — one that you’ve only invited those cool, fun and fantastic friends to for an all night impromptu dance party.

Having listened to the band from impetus to immediate, the Loud Apartment EP features some of the bands staples that we’ve heard live and on limited CD releases.

Their heavy funk sound is overwhemingly evident on the track “Warm Me Up.” The band has used this as their show opener in years past and it’s the one that sets the tone for the rest of a Loud Apartment show.

The band’s influences are definitely apparent on all the tracks. Blistering guitar ( “Here it Comes”) work combined with 60s Sanatana-esque organ work, Grateful dead jam sessions and Latin flare (“Get Up Get Down”) combine to form a musical melting pot that, like I stated earlier, is just so New York.

Nevaris’ vocals are the centerpiece of Loud Apartment’s sound and rightfully so. His smoother than velvet, richer than rich mahogany sound is a perfect complement to the grooves and danceability that Loud Apartment produces on each track.

Appearing on the EP are four musical heavyweights — all whom have become involved with Loud Apartment due to Nevaris’ Uncomun Festivals. The first is legendary percussionist Angel Rodriguez who provided killer beats for the early breakdancing and hip hop crews in 1980s New York. He remains the one common factor in Loud Apartment outside of Nevaris. The second is international reggae artist Garrison Hawk (AKA Hawkman, AKA Hawk) who had major success earlier in the 2000s as a contributor and writer on Tricky’s famed Blowback album. Through the uniquely voiced Hawk Nevaris was introduced to legendary producer Bill Laswell. Laswell (who has worked with everyone from Mick Jagger to White Zombie to Ozzy to Herbie Hancock) mastered and mixed all of the early songs that the band recorded. Many of these songs appear on the current EP. Through Laswell, the band was introduced and recorded with Parliament Funkdaelic’s keyboardist Bernie P. Worrell, who also appears throughout the EP adding an awesome jammy funked out quality to plenty of tracks.

Speaking of all things Uncomun, Loud Apartment along with Bill Laswell and his new band Method of Defiance, Bernie P. Worrell and a ton of other bands will be performing at the Uncomun Festival 2010 at Santo’s Party House (the club owned by Andrew W.K.) on Saturday November 6. The event will start a - The B and B Entertainment Blog