Music
Press
Raheem Cohen can sound like a old-school funk band one minute, classic rockers the next and soulful disco dudes after that. Sometimes all in one song. But that’s the world in 2013, right? Brothers Miles, Alix and Reece Melendrez, abetted by pals Matt Mumcian and Lukas Frank, are of the generation that sponges up music from decades past and squeezes it into their own potion. Their new single “Simpler” is a beat-addled rocker that suggests the indie kids might have sneaked some Red Hot Chili Peppers into their playlist. - BuzzBands LA
Raheem Cohen can sound like a old-school funk band one minute, classic rockers the next and soulful disco dudes after that. Sometimes all in one song. But that’s the world in 2013, right? Brothers Miles, Alix and Reece Melendrez, abetted by pals Matt Mumcian and Lukas Frank, are of the generation that sponges up music from decades past and squeezes it into their own potion. Their new single “Simpler” is a beat-addled rocker that suggests the indie kids might have sneaked some Red Hot Chili Peppers into their playlist. - BuzzBands LA
"In an age where most local bands substitute unoriginal recycled noise for Music, these kids out play a lot of adult bands. Their sound is real, their soul is real, and their musicality is real. What is even more amazing is the respect that these young men have for their musical influences and a genuine humble sensibility that they all seem to share. Of course, lets not forget that they put on one heck of a rock and roll show." - Valley Star
"In an age where most local bands substitute unoriginal recycled noise for Music, these kids out play a lot of adult bands. Their sound is real, their soul is real, and their musicality is real. What is even more amazing is the respect that these young men have for their musical influences and a genuine humble sensibility that they all seem to share. Of course, lets not forget that they put on one heck of a rock and roll show." - Valley Star
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
While many American boys grow up imagining themselves as future basketball, football or baseball stars, things were different for the kids in Raheem Cohen. It’s no real surprise that LA’s Silver Lake neighbourhood – the antithesis of traditional Americana - bears fruit of a different color, and thus no wonder that the brothers Melendrez - Miles, Alix, and Reece, to be more precise - were each wielding guitars before the age of ten and dreaming of life on stage instead of a playing field.
Joined by childhood friends Matt Mumcian and Lukas Frank, the Melendrez brothers took the band name Raheem Cohen, a reflection of the boys’ upbringing, as they were born of mixed race parents and raised in an LA neighbourhood famous for attracting people of all stripes. The idea of mixing a distinctly Jewish surname with a first name of Muslim decent was as reflective of their non-traditional home life as it was with the melting pot of musical influences that defined the band’s sound.
The five youngsters that made up Raheem Cohen quickly proved themselves as naturally gifted musicians, playing small gigs (as small people) in their neighbourhood of Silver Lake, polishing their skills with covers of legends like Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, and The Doors. Eventually Raheem Cohen left the comfort of cover songs to write their own music and develop their unique amalgam of sound – one that deftly blends the funky soul rock of yesterday with the alternative rock sounds of today, leaning to and fro towards the music of The Strokes, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, Dr. Dog, and even TV on the Radio.
Raheem Cohen is a reflection of the eclectic world around them and the musical legends that they covered as children. “A lot of bands are eclectic from song to song, as one track sounds funky, another song rocks, and a third song sounds like a soul tune,” explains Alix. “The difference with us is we have a bunch of songs that sound like many of those things all at once. There’s typically something within each tune that’s funky, soulful, and still has kind of a gritty rock edge to it, too.“
Now that the youngest brother Reece is in his final year of high school, Raheem Cohen have taken their songs into the studio to prepare for their introduction to the world outside of Silver Lake. With “Simpler” and “Roads”, the first two songs from these sessions, the young men (all still under drinking age) boldly deliver the carefree spirit of youth, the grit of city mayhem, and the confidence and musicianship of a band ten years in the making.
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