Styrofoam Junkies

"Their newly released untitled EP brings forth a strange, surreal set of five new songs that draw from a variety of influences, to create a surprisingly fluid sound."

"The opening track, “Come Alive,” succeeds in displaying a full repertoire of skills in a single fluid piece, combining elements of hard rock, hip hop, funk, dance rock and something else I just can’t pinpoint. There’s a great deal of dynamic in this song, showing that Styrofoam Junkies understand how to create a mood – which is vital when providing a crowd with something they’re unused to."
- Kris Walsh, www.cluballey.com,

Great sound, hooky, with innovative arrangements and interplay between vox & instruments. - www.indie-music.com

Moving Foward (taken from Asbury Park Press, written by Ed Condran)Keyboardist Rich Nardo sounds almost apologetic when speaking about his band Styrofoam Junkie's first album, "Guided by Speciner."

Nardo wishes that the disc, which was released last summer, wasn't put together so hastily.

"We did it all in five days," he said. "We were together for only three months before that. We just moved so fast on it. The album could have been pretty different."

"Guided by Speciner" features straightforward rock, pop, funk and hip-hop — not a bad start from a recently formed Long Island-based band that put the album together on the fly.

"I'm fine with what we did when we started out with this band, but we were just touching on what we could do," Nardo said. "We can do much more and we are doing more. We're writing new songs, and they're more evolved."

According to Nardo, Styrofoam Junkies, which will make its Asbury Park debut today at The Saint, is coming up with material that's Maroon 5-esque but with some jazzy elements.

"I get to do a lot more with my keys and synths," he said. "I was playing some guitar. But now it's just keys, which is great for me. It's good for all of us. This album is more groove-oriented. I also think what we're coming up with is more poppy."

Styrofoam Junkies, which also includes singer/guitarist Stephen Faig, guitarist Ryan Arthur, bassist Ricky Cody and drummer Vinny Previti, has been talking to a number of record labels about putting out the group's next disc.

"That's the benefit of having put out our album so quickly," Nardo said. "Labels heard the songs from our first album. So who knows what's going to happen next for us?"

In the short term, the band is going to preview tunes from its next release.

"That's the plan for Asbury Park," Nardo said.

"We're just anxious to get there since we haven't played a show in over a month. We're ready to go out and try to get everybody dancing."

Link to article: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802010316 - Asbury Park Press (Ed Condran)

When The Standoff learned that their band name was taken by an English group just as they were in the midst of the “legal stuff” preceding their first recording, the potential for disaster was there. But they took the news in stride – after sifting through a list of 500 potential names, the five-piece, based in West Hempstead, settled on “Styrofoam Junkies” in May of 2007. The name, they say, can inspire either love or hate, but it sticks.

Now, newly rechristened, the band is anticipating the release of “Guided by Speciner,” their debut EP, and they’re busier than ever. After Styrofoam Junkies recorded with Ryan Sellick (Armor For Sleep, Jetlag Gemini, Crash Romeo) at Northshore Recording Studio in Madison, NJ, the EP was shipped over to Michael Fossenkemper (Madonna, Miles Davis, The Getup Kids) for mastering at Turtletone Studios in New York. And judging by the quality of the demo songs up on the web, the two studio veterans made their mark.

The New York/New Jersey split in the record’s production mirrors a theme in the band itself. Bass player Ricky Cody, guitarist Rich Nardo and drummer Vinny Previti grew up blocks from each other in West Hempstead. Singer Stephen Faig and guitarist Ryan Arthur are childhood friends from Madison, NJ. “It makes it a little difficult when you have half your band in New Jeresy, getting gigs on the weekend,” Nardo said. Arthur and Faig have been driving to the Island on weekends to practice and play gigs. With the release of “Guided by Speciner,” the band anticipates weekends filled with shows – the plan is to perform five or six times a month, half locally and half out-of-state.

It’s a step up in work, and Styrofoam Junkies already have a full plate. Apart from the band and their own clothing company, Nevermore Apparel, Nardo and Cody manage their own label, 24 West Records, which is releasing the upcoming EP. “We kind of tried to do it ourselves,” Nardo said. “Now we can promote distribute, and it’s ours. The music is ours.”

It gives them freedom. As a result, the EP’s stylistic diversity is a selling point. There are few influences that all five members agree upon: The Used, Muse, Ben Folds and John Mayor. Individually, the members cite a wide spectrum of pop-punk, grunge, indie and acoustic rock. They pride themselves on sounding “eclectic” while not being “random.”

To Nardo and Cody, 24 West Records is also the vehicle with which they can make their broader visions a reality. They remember the Long Island scene they grew up with – nights at the Downtown, exploring music they had never heard of. “It really was a really tight knit community when we were growing up,” Nardo said. Nardo and Cody think today’s teens have lost that sense of curiosity. “They go to hear one band and then leave,” Nardo said. “It’s kind of lost that community feel, that open-mindedness.” In the fall, the pair would like to expand their label, and start hosting all-ages shows and theme parties on the Island.

Loyalty is what matters to Nardo, who suspects the iPod generation of being riddled with attention deficit disorder. “A big problem with music today is that they’re listening to one band or they’re single-driven,” he said. “If you’re getting into music now, find something interesting and just dig it. Get into it.” 24 West Records is releasing a compilation this month, featuring Long Island bands like Casari, All Grown Up and Stealing Jane, alongside acts from other regions. Nardo and Cody hope to give it away at the Styrofoam Junkies EP release show on Aug. 12, which doubles as the one-year anniversary of Nevermore Apparel.

So, with a debut EP, a performance regimen, two expanding companies, a mission to save Long Island music and a state border dividing the band, Styrofoam Junkies may be the busiest band in the world. As Cody puts it, “It’s kind of rough on the social life, ya know?”

- www.cluballey.com

Styrofoam Junkies
West Hempstead, NY The Styrofoam Junkies, consisting of Steve Faig, Rich Nardo, Ryan Arthur, Ricky Cody, and Vinny Previti, came through the Hudson Valley in November, bringing with them their energy and awesome jams. With a sound all their own, the guys are bringing all around good times in their shows, using their sound that has yet to be classified into a single genre. Their debut EP, “Guided by Speciner” is out now on iTunes, and we urge you to take a listen. The Junkies will make you dance, be they playing through your speakers, or blazing through the amps during one of their shows (which are hitting the New York/Pennsylvania area February-April).
We got a great interview with the guys. They have some great answers so come and read!
(Blue text is PWC commentary)

PWC: When and how did you guys come together as a band?
Rich: It was a warm April evening when a young friend by the name of Vincent Previti pulled up next to me and Ricky at a Mobil Station in our native West Hempstead. He asked that we (1) buy him 2 22 oz. Heinekens and (2) listen to a cd he made of himself drumming. We had been working on some new stuff with Steve and Ryan after our old band A Staggering Genius (which Steve, Ryan and I played in and Ricky managed) fell apart, and Steve was drumming and singing. From there, we grabbed Vinny and welcomed him to the family and Steve got to have a go at being a proper frontman. Two weeks later Vinny played his first show with us at Alley Katz in Richmond, Va, and this is how we’ve rolled ever since.

PWC: How'd you come up with the name "Styrofoam Junkies?"
Steve: Styrofoam Junkies was honestly the only name we could all agree on. Every other name - and we must have gone through hundreds - someone would have a problem with and we were back to square one. A friend of ours actually came up with it one night at a drunken bonfire. (PWC: Now, thats how you do it!)

PWC: How would you describe your sound?
Ricky: Surprising. Always different, always changing.
Vinny: Different, but catchy.

PWC: How do you feel the internet has affected your music and fan base?
Ricky: I don't think it has necessarily effected to content of our music. But it has definitely made our band's fanbase! If it wasn't for site's like Myspace, Purevolume, Indie-music.com etc., our music would never have been able to reach all those who we now call fans...no wait FAMILY!!

PWC: Do you draw any inspiration from bands you listen to now or grew up listening to?
Ryan: Absolutely. Steve and I are the primary songwriters and I know that my influences are all over out tunes. I’m really into Pink Floyd, Moe., Led Zeppelin, and Umphrey’s Mcgee. On the other end of the spectrum I’m a huge Pantera fan! I’m just such a big fan of how Dimebag plays! If I sat here and gave you all my influences you would have a three page answer.

PWC: What would be your dream tour?
Steve: Right now, any tour would be a dream tour. But, to make it really dreamy, a nice bus with some 30s of Pabst Blue Ribbon would be ideal.
Ricky: My dream tour would be Styrofoam Junkies, Bob Marley, The Smith's and The Movielife. Random groups I know but all amazing.

PWC: What's the most embarrassing song on your ipod?
Rich: Ummm about half of it. I listen to everything that catches my ear, no matter where it comes from, so you’ll get some uber-cheesy songs on my iPod. I have a ton of 10,000 Maniacs on there, which gets me made fun of. I also have a lot of traditional Irish Pub songs. The funny thing is a lot of the “cheesy” stuff I have on my iPod that I catch heat for, everyone will sing along to whenever it comes on shuffle! Go figure!
Ryan: “Working for the Weekend” by “Eddie Money”.
Vinny: I don’t have an iPod. But if I did, I would have the song “Don’t Stop Believing” by journey. (PWC: And here, We thought we were the only ones without iPods.)

PWC: What can one expect from a SJ performance?
Vinny: A kick ass time.
Ricky: Our performances are filled with dancing, energy and over all good times from beginning to end. We like our shows to not just be about us on stage playing songs, we want everyone who is there to be involved and feel as if there part of the performance, but more important to feel as if they were apart of us.
Steve: You can expect us to make you want to dance like Patrick Swayze on crack. (PWC: They aren’t kidding. Trust, it can happen to the best of us.)

PWC: Random, but if you had to make the ULTIMATE 6 song mixtape (of other musicians songs), what songs would be on it?
(Combination of the favorites)
1) LoveStoned - Justin Timberlake
2) L'via l'veasquez--The Mars Volta
3) Dont Stop Me Now--Queen
4) Paulson – Miami Current (PWC: Damn, these boys got TASTE.)
5) Pimpa’s Paradise--Damian Marley
6) Dazed and Confused--Led Zeppelin
Vinny: That question isn’t fair, there are too many songs I couldn’t live without!

PWC: Can we expect any big things from you g - Power of Conviction Magazine

Styrofoam Junkies is an indie/rock band that’s just signed with Takeover Records- already after listening to a few songs you can hear the catchy guitar and bass riffs and the very strong and confident drumming with a hint of delicious synths.
Not only do these guys play great music, they seem like a group of crazy and easy-going guys. They gave one of the most informative interviews i’ve had!

How did you come up with the name?
Well first we were called the Standoff, but when we went to record our EP we found out that there was already a band from the UK called the Standoff so we had to change it. Over the course of the next two weeks we had about 4 names, that all of us kind of hated and would eventually decide we didn’t want. Finally, we had a big drunken bonfire with our friends, and went through a list of literally 500 names. Each name we came up with everyone would chastise until we realized we didn’t want to move forward with it. Finally at like 4 in the morning our friend Nat came up with the name Styrofoam Junkies. We still made fun of the name for a good five minutes, but then kinda decided we would stick with it anyways!

Tell me a bit about you guys?
I’m Rich, I’m 24 years old and I’m from Long Island, NY and I play bass and synth.

The rest of the band is…
Steve - 25 years old from Madison, NJ and he sings and plays guitar

Ryan - 25 years old from Madison, NJ and he plays guitar

Vinny - 19 from Long Island too and he’s our special drummer boy

What did you guys do before the group started?
Well we’re actually all kind of transitioning away from full-time jobs right now. I am doing various part time work (most recently at the Agency Group in NYC which was awesome!) Steve does sales for a computer magazine, Ryan is a mechanic and Vinny goes to school.

How did you start out/ was it hard?
Well, Steve and I played in a band in college called Gunner Stahl, when we graduated we kept playing together in a band called A Staggering Genius which Ryan joined and our old bassist Ricky managed. When we started to move away from A Staggering Genius, Steve, Ryan and I wanted to start a new project, and Ricky wanted to learn bass. So I switched to keyboards/guitar and Ricky became our new bassist. After a series of lineup changes and name changes Vinny joined as our drummer, Ricky left and I went back to bass. It was extremely hard to get a line up of people that the chemistry is there and everyone is willing to put themselves 100% into the band. Then once you get there it’s just as hard to convince people you are worth their time.

Any big plans for the near future?
Well we’re spending a lot of time on the road this summer which is going to be amazing! And then in the fall we’re recording a new album which we’re stoked for because we think our new stuff shows a new level of maturity for us and we can’t wait to show everybody!

–Random questions–
What song have you been listening to most in the past few weeks?
Well, the new Panic at the Disco is a beautiful album. None of us were huge fans of their first disc but this one really is something special. Other than that I’ve been stoked on Good Old War, Maps & Atlases, All Grown Up, Battles, Weatherbox, Alive in Wild Paint, Pictures in Braille, This Condition & Jukebox the Ghost lately…

What one materialistic thing can you not live without?
hmmm, does coffee count? I’m a huge caffeine junkie! Other than that I’d sy either my iPod or my laptop

Do you have a secret name for your favourite inanimate object?
Umm not really, I should name my bass though, it’s a Spector and I’ve had it for 3 years and it’s like permanently attached to me. I used to drive a 92 Volvo that my friends and I used to abuse the hell out of so we named her monster. Then when I got a new car, I started only taking her to go surfing so I wouldn’t get sand in my new car, so she became the beach monster. She’s still running and my brother in law drives her to the train station. I want her back.
..

Does being in a band help in picking up girls/boys?
hahahahaha. You have no idea how many friends of mine ask me this question. I’d say it helps in meeting girls, but it definately doesn’t help in keeping them. I also manage our band, so between playing/practicing/traveling/handling the business end/ and trying to make a couple of extra bucks when I can, I have literally no free time. As a result, most relationships tend to end by say the third week….

Has anything crazy or embarrassing happened during a live show?
Well my favorite story is this. We kind of got started playing this little dive bar in West Hempstead called Patti & Johnny’s. And when we would play it would usually be all our friends, but when we weren’t playing there it’s kind of a biker bar. So one time there was a benefit show there that they asked us to come down and play…but it was to all these big bikers. It was literally like a scene out of the Blues Brother’s movie. Anyways, so we were sou - www.hotgeneration.wordpress.com

Styrofoam Junkies is an indie/rock band that’s just signed with Takeover Records- already after listening to a few songs you can hear the catchy guitar and bass riffs and the very strong and confident drumming with a hint of delicious synths.
Not only do these guys play great music, they seem like a group of crazy and easy-going guys. They gave one of the most informative interviews i’ve had!

How did you come up with the name?
Well first we were called the Standoff, but when we went to record our EP we found out that there was already a band from the UK called the Standoff so we had to change it. Over the course of the next two weeks we had about 4 names, that all of us kind of hated and would eventually decide we didn’t want. Finally, we had a big drunken bonfire with our friends, and went through a list of literally 500 names. Each name we came up with everyone would chastise until we realized we didn’t want to move forward with it. Finally at like 4 in the morning our friend Nat came up with the name Styrofoam Junkies. We still made fun of the name for a good five minutes, but then kinda decided we would stick with it anyways!

Tell me a bit about you guys?
I’m Rich, I’m 24 years old and I’m from Long Island, NY and I play bass and synth.

The rest of the band is…
Steve - 25 years old from Madison, NJ and he sings and plays guitar

Ryan - 25 years old from Madison, NJ and he plays guitar

Vinny - 19 from Long Island too and he’s our special drummer boy

What did you guys do before the group started?
Well we’re actually all kind of transitioning away from full-time jobs right now. I am doing various part time work (most recently at the Agency Group in NYC which was awesome!) Steve does sales for a computer magazine, Ryan is a mechanic and Vinny goes to school.

How did you start out/ was it hard?
Well, Steve and I played in a band in college called Gunner Stahl, when we graduated we kept playing together in a band called A Staggering Genius which Ryan joined and our old bassist Ricky managed. When we started to move away from A Staggering Genius, Steve, Ryan and I wanted to start a new project, and Ricky wanted to learn bass. So I switched to keyboards/guitar and Ricky became our new bassist. After a series of lineup changes and name changes Vinny joined as our drummer, Ricky left and I went back to bass. It was extremely hard to get a line up of people that the chemistry is there and everyone is willing to put themselves 100% into the band. Then once you get there it’s just as hard to convince people you are worth their time.

Any big plans for the near future?
Well we’re spending a lot of time on the road this summer which is going to be amazing! And then in the fall we’re recording a new album which we’re stoked for because we think our new stuff shows a new level of maturity for us and we can’t wait to show everybody!

–Random questions–
What song have you been listening to most in the past few weeks?
Well, the new Panic at the Disco is a beautiful album. None of us were huge fans of their first disc but this one really is something special. Other than that I’ve been stoked on Good Old War, Maps & Atlases, All Grown Up, Battles, Weatherbox, Alive in Wild Paint, Pictures in Braille, This Condition & Jukebox the Ghost lately…

What one materialistic thing can you not live without?
hmmm, does coffee count? I’m a huge caffeine junkie! Other than that I’d sy either my iPod or my laptop

Do you have a secret name for your favourite inanimate object?
Umm not really, I should name my bass though, it’s a Spector and I’ve had it for 3 years and it’s like permanently attached to me. I used to drive a 92 Volvo that my friends and I used to abuse the hell out of so we named her monster. Then when I got a new car, I started only taking her to go surfing so I wouldn’t get sand in my new car, so she became the beach monster. She’s still running and my brother in law drives her to the train station. I want her back.
..

Does being in a band help in picking up girls/boys?
hahahahaha. You have no idea how many friends of mine ask me this question. I’d say it helps in meeting girls, but it definately doesn’t help in keeping them. I also manage our band, so between playing/practicing/traveling/handling the business end/ and trying to make a couple of extra bucks when I can, I have literally no free time. As a result, most relationships tend to end by say the third week….

Has anything crazy or embarrassing happened during a live show?
Well my favorite story is this. We kind of got started playing this little dive bar in West Hempstead called Patti & Johnny’s. And when we would play it would usually be all our friends, but when we weren’t playing there it’s kind of a biker bar. So one time there was a benefit show there that they asked us to come down and play…but it was to all these big bikers. It was literally like a scene out of the Blues Brother’s movie. Anyways, so we were sou - www.hotgeneration.wordpress.com

Many new bands start out playing at dive bars, little hole-in-the-wall cafés and the infamous college campuses. This weekend, Styrofoam Junkies and Code Anchor will be performing at the University's Coffee House, otherwise known as the Netherlands Café.

Styrofoam Junkies is an indie and pop rock band with a "dancey feel," said Rich Nardo, the guitarist and keyboard player.

The band was formed in October 2006 as The Standoff but became known as the Styrofoam Junkies in May 2007.

The guys have known each other for years. Nardo and Steve Faig (vocals) went to Loyola College in Maryland where they played in a band. Ryan Arthur (guitar) has been a life-long friend of Faig. And Vinny Previti (drums), Ricky Cody (bass) and Nardo all grew up together in West Hempstead.

"Our music is very interactive," Nardo said. "We've been compared to the Killers."

The band members said they don't want to see anyone sitting at their shows.

"We try our best to get everyone dancing," Nardo said. "We want the crowed to feel no inhibitions."

The band is currently touring throughout the Northeast and working on a couple of new songs. Their current five-track EP is titled "Guided by Speciner," and available on sites such as iTunes and CDBaby.com.

Some bonds exist outside the boundaries of the band-Nardo and Cody started a clothing company, called Nevermore Apparel, in June 2006.

Students can expect to experience "high energy" from Code Anchor's performance, said Dan Keller, the lead vocalist and guitarist.

Just like Styrofoam Junkies, they too like to get everyone dancing.

Code Anchor was created four years ago when the guys met at Commack High School on Long Island.

The band's sound is a mix of rock, jazz, funk, latin, punk and everything in between. But, for the most part it's rock.

"We take pride in our originality," said Dan Keller, who provides lead vocals and plays guitar.

Code Anchor was originally a five-piece band but now it's down to four. The members include Keller, Billy Burns (base and vocals), Ryan Schiff (guitar and vocals) and Scotty Zwang (drums and vocals).

Code Anchor won at the Long Island Goodtimes Music Festival in 2006.

Their current 5-track EP titled "Code Anchor" is "a splash of rock and punk with underlying, funky bass lines and crunchy guitars; these guys have something for everyone," a review by Dan from Playgroundz.net said.

Currently, Code Anchor is working on its next album, "Tall Tales from the Moon" which Keller says will hopefully be out by the end of the year.

"Hofstra Concerts chose these specific bands to perform because they have a fun sound, awesome energy and have a bit of a different sound than your typical alternative/indie band out there right now," said Erin McAndrew, the University's Coffee House manager.

The performance is at the Netherlands Café on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m.-an hour earlier than other University Coffee House events. Admission is free.

http://media.www.hofstrachronicle.com/media/storage/paper222/news/2007/10/11/Features/Local.Bands.To.Play.Coffee.House-3029059.shtml - The Hofstra Chronicle

With so many songs posted on Indie-Music, choosing the Top 25 Artist MP3s is always a daunting task. This year we added thousands of new artists with great music, making the job all the more difficult. But we finally got it down to the Top 25, plus a few deserving Honorable Mentions, listd in no particular order. We screened the songs and chose artists based on performance, production, and song quality. Please visit these deserving artists, or play all 25 songs on the player below. You won't be sorry, the quality of 2007's talent is truly outstanding. See also Indie-Music's Top 25 CDs of 2007.



Compiled By Suzanne Glass & Paul Bultman


For Popup Player - click here

2007 Top 25 Artists with MP3s on Indie-Music


Lee Rogers


Clay McClinton


Phil Marshall


Stuart Rosh


Threshold



The American Years


Real Be Easys


Swing Samurai


Shay Dillon


Yoni



Jubal Lee Young


Freddie Long Band


Slow Ride


Westfall


Chris Klein



Amy Clawson


Sugar Blue


The Nine Volts


Qwiet


The Dig



Robyn Landis


Jules & The Family


Styrofoam Junkies


Eject


Robbin Thompson





- www.indie-music.com

Many new bands start out playing at dive bars, little hole-in-the-wall cafés and the infamous college campuses. This weekend, Styrofoam Junkies and Code Anchor will be performing at the University's Coffee House, otherwise known as the Netherlands Café.

Styrofoam Junkies is an indie and pop rock band with a "dancey feel," said Rich Nardo, the guitarist and keyboard player.

The band was formed in October 2006 as The Standoff but became known as the Styrofoam Junkies in May 2007.

The guys have known each other for years. Nardo and Steve Faig (vocals) went to Loyola College in Maryland where they played in a band. Ryan Arthur (guitar) has been a life-long friend of Faig. And Vinny Previti (drums), Ricky Cody (bass) and Nardo all grew up together in West Hempstead.

"Our music is very interactive," Nardo said. "We've been compared to the Killers."

The band members said they don't want to see anyone sitting at their shows.

"We try our best to get everyone dancing," Nardo said. "We want the crowed to feel no inhibitions."

The band is currently touring throughout the Northeast and working on a couple of new songs. Their current five-track EP is titled "Guided by Speciner," and available on sites such as iTunes and CDBaby.com.

Some bonds exist outside the boundaries of the band-Nardo and Cody started a clothing company, called Nevermore Apparel, in June 2006.

Students can expect to experience "high energy" from Code Anchor's performance, said Dan Keller, the lead vocalist and guitarist.

Just like Styrofoam Junkies, they too like to get everyone dancing.

Code Anchor was created four years ago when the guys met at Commack High School on Long Island.

The band's sound is a mix of rock, jazz, funk, latin, punk and everything in between. But, for the most part it's rock.

"We take pride in our originality," said Dan Keller, who provides lead vocals and plays guitar.

Code Anchor was originally a five-piece band but now it's down to four. The members include Keller, Billy Burns (base and vocals), Ryan Schiff (guitar and vocals) and Scotty Zwang (drums and vocals).

Code Anchor won at the Long Island Goodtimes Music Festival in 2006.

Their current 5-track EP titled "Code Anchor" is "a splash of rock and punk with underlying, funky bass lines and crunchy guitars; these guys have something for everyone," a review by Dan from Playgroundz.net said.

Currently, Code Anchor is working on its next album, "Tall Tales from the Moon" which Keller says will hopefully be out by the end of the year.

"Hofstra Concerts chose these specific bands to perform because they have a fun sound, awesome energy and have a bit of a different sound than your typical alternative/indie band out there right now," said Erin McAndrew, the University's Coffee House manager.

The performance is at the Netherlands Café on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m.-an hour earlier than other University Coffee House events. Admission is free.

http://media.www.hofstrachronicle.com/media/storage/paper222/news/2007/10/11/Features/Local.Bands.To.Play.Coffee.House-3029059.shtml - The Hofstra Chronicle

If fate and talent has anything to say in the matter the music from the New York based indie band The Styrofoam Junkies will soon be heard on a radio station near you. With a range of songs (some great, some less so great) that actually vary in sound and scope, this engaging band offers a little bit of rocky/poppy goodness for even the most jaded music fan.

“Touch” is the standout in The Styrofoam Junkies’ musical arsenal, it’s a car-singing-worthy tune begging to be boomed over the radio (or your iPod). Beginning with a jamming guitar riff that quickly snags your attention, “Touch” soon morphs into a mellowishy-cheery tune lead by the confident multi-tiered vocals of singer Stephen Faig (who also plays the guitar). “Touch” is a top 40 hit waiting to happen.

“These Days” is another song worthy of your musical time, featuring a thoroughly catchy chorus demanding you stop and take notice; especially once the ”whoa-oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh’s” kick in towards the end. It’s a head-boppy tune meant to invoke thoughts of care-free good times with your best buddies: “grew up in parking lots/a bottle and some friends” sings Faig. Worth a listen.


The two other songs offered on their MySpace page, the melancholy “Meant to Fade” and the super-long-intro’ed “Come Alive,” aren’t quite as worthy of such a strong a band. Both songs feel like early, beginning tunes: like the first efforts of the band working out their sound and their vision, a creative cough to clear the throat before finding their musical footing in both the superior “Touch” and “These Days.” Not quite the best, but most definitely not terrible, “Meant to Fade” and “Come Alive” are just middle of the musical road. For many bands mediocre tunes are the best they can offer, but from a band like the The Styrofoam Junkies, with this much talent and potential, any less than great is a disappointment.

I highly recommend you give The Styrofoam Junkies a listen - catch them before they hit it big - your ears will thank you for it:

http://www.shotgunreviews.com/2008/06/12/never-heard-of-the-band-the-styrofoam-junkies-you-soon-will/#more-1580 - Brian Andersen

If fate and talent has anything to say in the matter the music from the New York based indie band The Styrofoam Junkies will soon be heard on a radio station near you. With a range of songs (some great, some less so great) that actually vary in sound and scope, this engaging band offers a little bit of rocky/poppy goodness for even the most jaded music fan.

“Touch” is the standout in The Styrofoam Junkies’ musical arsenal, it’s a car-singing-worthy tune begging to be boomed over the radio (or your iPod). Beginning with a jamming guitar riff that quickly snags your attention, “Touch” soon morphs into a mellowishy-cheery tune lead by the confident multi-tiered vocals of singer Stephen Faig (who also plays the guitar). “Touch” is a top 40 hit waiting to happen.

“These Days” is another song worthy of your musical time, featuring a thoroughly catchy chorus demanding you stop and take notice; especially once the ”whoa-oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh’s” kick in towards the end. It’s a head-boppy tune meant to invoke thoughts of care-free good times with your best buddies: “grew up in parking lots/a bottle and some friends” sings Faig. Worth a listen.


The two other songs offered on their MySpace page, the melancholy “Meant to Fade” and the super-long-intro’ed “Come Alive,” aren’t quite as worthy of such a strong a band. Both songs feel like early, beginning tunes: like the first efforts of the band working out their sound and their vision, a creative cough to clear the throat before finding their musical footing in both the superior “Touch” and “These Days.” Not quite the best, but most definitely not terrible, “Meant to Fade” and “Come Alive” are just middle of the musical road. For many bands mediocre tunes are the best they can offer, but from a band like the The Styrofoam Junkies, with this much talent and potential, any less than great is a disappointment.

I highly recommend you give The Styrofoam Junkies a listen - catch them before they hit it big - your ears will thank you for it:

http://www.shotgunreviews.com/2008/06/12/never-heard-of-the-band-the-styrofoam-junkies-you-soon-will/#more-1580 - Brian Andersen

The first track - "Touch" - on the Styrofoam Junkies myspace lets you know that you're going to experience a whole range of music influences and eras: the crunchy alternative opening chords give way to an almost 70s-hit-radio sound ala Hall and Oates. It's instantly catchy because it feels familiar. Yet, interspersed between the verses are hip hop shouts, vinyl scratches, and some old school Beastie Boy noises just to add an additional twist and throw the listener off guard.

Next up is "Come Alive" which starts off heavier and darker than the first track - more feedback, distortion, harder power chords. The song breaks out to some ethereal keyboard swells, and then the pop jumps in. The band has got catchy down pat, and the vocal harmonies are a nice element riding on the harder power chord wave. The middle lead break seems a bit long and detracts from an otherwise excellent song.

"Meant to Fade" opens up with precise, almost military drumming and arpeggiated guitar plucking and seems heavily influenced by the opening of The Eagles' classic "Hotel California" - which is further reinforced by the chord movement and the basslines. With the exception of a different vocal line during the verses, the connection is hard to shake - as the vocal harmonies have an Eagles-like precision to them as well. Although being compared to The Eagles is not a bad thing by any means, it does add a derivative element to the song.

"These Days" highlights strong vocal harmonies, precise drumming and a - once again - very catchy pop melody. Like the other songs featured on the band's page, this track is radio-ready. - http://exmogulmusic.blogspot.com/2008/06/styrofoam-junkies.html

The first track - "Touch" - on the Styrofoam Junkies myspace lets you know that you're going to experience a whole range of music influences and eras: the crunchy alternative opening chords give way to an almost 70s-hit-radio sound ala Hall and Oates. It's instantly catchy because it feels familiar. Yet, interspersed between the verses are hip hop shouts, vinyl scratches, and some old school Beastie Boy noises just to add an additional twist and throw the listener off guard.

Next up is "Come Alive" which starts off heavier and darker than the first track - more feedback, distortion, harder power chords. The song breaks out to some ethereal keyboard swells, and then the pop jumps in. The band has got catchy down pat, and the vocal harmonies are a nice element riding on the harder power chord wave. The middle lead break seems a bit long and detracts from an otherwise excellent song.

"Meant to Fade" opens up with precise, almost military drumming and arpeggiated guitar plucking and seems heavily influenced by the opening of The Eagles' classic "Hotel California" - which is further reinforced by the chord movement and the basslines. With the exception of a different vocal line during the verses, the connection is hard to shake - as the vocal harmonies have an Eagles-like precision to them as well. Although being compared to The Eagles is not a bad thing by any means, it does add a derivative element to the song.

"These Days" highlights strong vocal harmonies, precise drumming and a - once again - very catchy pop melody. Like the other songs featured on the band's page, this track is radio-ready. - http://exmogulmusic.blogspot.com/2008/06/styrofoam-junkies.html