Serotonin Productions

Local lovelies The Combovers take to the stage with a rendition of the Mario Bros theme song - and to take it further delve into the underground stage!
With possibly one of the greatest band names anyone has heard in a while, The Combovers are Luke [vox, bass], Michael [guitar]. Their sound can be likened to American geek-rock icons, Weezer, but harder on the ears, but in a good way! They are much quirkier in a melancholic kinda way. Front man Luke sings of the usual geek-rock anecdotes like the pain of missing a girl, trying to open up girls hearts, anguished screams of I love you, not so smart people thinking they’re smarter than they actually are, and the bizarre chopping off arms! In the first song he screams “Don’t Stop”, the bubbly Nintendo-tone still strident over the guitars and drums! Michael takes the mic for lead vocals in the third song, which sounds remarkably like Wonderboy in Monsterland, with the adorable Sega-esque inflected key-sounds. In the next song Luke screams “I Love You”, a faster-than-Weezer like tune, but with substantially more painful lyrics! He’s screaming, so it must hurt!!! “Royal Red” is a punkier-still tune that features a catchy Ramones-ish “Hey-Ho” and the crowd sing-along! Luke asks for a victim in this tune, he’s looking for someone to save!! Throughout the set the lyrics frequently reference pop culture heroes as the videogame like keyboard-tone saturates the set. The tune “You Think You’re So Smart” talks of Star Trek: Next Generation, and asks the question ‘who beat Toadie over the finish line, referencing Nintendo’s MarioKart64. How nerdy and cool! Ian’s keyboard still set to ‘Nintendo-tone’! Finishing up, the band ask Jadey to the stage, Luke sings Welcome to Splitsville. Population, you and me, as Jadey lends back-up vocals for the chorus and the conversation- like spoke word breakdown, resembling a modern day nastier version of Tina Turner with Ike! Jadey ends it screaming “I faked it anyway!”Although the lyrics are tell of agonizing truths, the band’s sound is slightly fun and catchy, it seemed the set ended too soon. I can’t shake the memorable Nintendo-tone from my mind, and I don’t want to!
- Undertow Press.com