The Demographic

One big FU to the prevailing trend of gazey, synth covered, vocal-distorted indie music, the Verse Chorus Curse EP by The Demographic is rock served raw. In seven songs, most of which clock in under two minutes, the duo from Northampton MA callously gallop through early 80’s hardcore, Pixies-type angular guitar rock, and the kind of over-driven blues-attacks that White Stripes make at their edgiest. Heady band comparisons for sure, but the simplicity and directness of The Demographic really harkens back to landmarks in the post-punk milieu rather than posting incremental progress away from those purest forms. Every song is solid. Even if you don’t identify with punk rock per say, this is one of those local bands to be excited about just for their musical energy alone. - Alexander Pinto - The Deli

Somewhere between The Who’s powerhouse, maximum R&B and The Pixies’ poppy, nasty, slow-as-fuck hard rock lays The Demographic. But here’s the cool thing about them: They’re just a guitar/drum duo! No frills maximum rock ‘n’ roll from Northampton, Mass, Tom Pappalardo (guitar/vocals), and Sturgis Cunningham (Drums/backing vocals), “Explode into a rock ‘n’ roll band” (thanks, Bruce), on these eight jangle-pop, murderously heavy songs about fuckin’ up, malls, death, and secrets. Not your run-of-the-mill stories and the music will suck you into the lyrics and vice-versa.
The Demographic breathe new life into a genre that’s in need of a tune-up. These eight angry, vehement cuts rely equally on Pappalardo’s acrobatic guitar lines and vocal rants as well as Cunningham’s at times pounding/brutally quiet drumming. A match made in heaven, as they say!
The last song “Simple Secret” ventures into deeper acoustic/electric territory. While Pappalardo drones on vocally (very cool), and Cunningham matches his slow cadence with stop/start/ drumming, they create a song that not only gets your attention, but it dramatically changes the way you look at the little things that are usually overlooked in life. “Listen Close” has lowbrow cinemascope grandeur, with precision and economy. I gotta check these guys out live! - Phil Rainone, JERSEY BEAT - Jersey Beat

The newest release from Northampton, Massachusetts’, guitar and drum duo, the Demographic, is a noisy conglomeration of garage-rock and Neil Young-esque guitar work mixed with proto-grunge and alt-country. Yes—an odd mix, but delivered perfectly.

Maybe most interesting are Tom Pappalardo’s vocals. At one moment, on the most rocking tracks like “Building Buildings” and “Ghosts of the Lower Barometrics,” he sounds like the bastard child of Kiss’ Ace Frehley and Naked Raygun’s Jeff Pezzati. In the next moment, when they take the volume down, “Letter” and “When I’m Dead,” he’s a dead ringer for the Drive-by Truckers’ Mike Cooley. - George Dow, The Noise - The Noise