The Mighty Orq
Houston, Texas, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
"You wouldn't confuse blues-rocker the Mighty orq with punk of any kind. You might be forgiven, however, for thinking that he is one of Duane and Greg Allman's long-lost brothers. His guitar playing has improved by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, but for me it has always been his voice -- deep, soulful and majestic -- that sets him apart, and under the soaring ceiling at the Twelve Spot it billowed forth, well, mightily. And when he averred that his is no longer a straight-up blues band a week ago in this paper, he spoke the truth. After cutting his teeth in Tony Vega's bluesy rock band, Orq has continued to evolve into a melodic, blues-steeped Southern rocker in the Arc Angels mode, or, as they put it 'brilliantly combining elements of Gulf Coat blues, R&B, rock and pop with gospel undertones that are as unique as they are powerful.' This is shaping up to be the Year of the Orq -- he's got an upcoming album that is said to be a career-definer, and he's got steady gigs here and in Austin lined up through the end of the year."
- John Nova Lomax
"You wouldn't confuse blues-rocker the Mighty orq with punk of any kind. You might be forgiven, however, for thinking that he is one of Duane and Greg Allman's long-lost brothers. His guitar playing has improved by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, but for me it has always been his voice -- deep, soulful and majestic -- that sets him apart, and under the soaring ceiling at the Twelve Spot it billowed forth, well, mightily. And when he averred that his is no longer a straight-up blues band a week ago in this paper, he spoke the truth. After cutting his teeth in Tony Vega's bluesy rock band, Orq has continued to evolve into a melodic, blues-steeped Southern rocker in the Arc Angels mode, or, as they put it 'brilliantly combining elements of Gulf Coat blues, R&B, rock and pop with gospel undertones that are as unique as they are powerful.' This is shaping up to be the Year of the Orq -- he's got an upcoming album that is said to be a career-definer, and he's got steady gigs here and in Austin lined up through the end of the year."
- John Nova Lomax
"People simply feel blues-rock. And blues-rock, especially that produced by the Mighty Orq, feels mighty, mighty good — as sweet and natural and organic to his native Houston as the sound of seagulls at the beach. Along with honky-tonk, it is the official sound of the rapidly disappearing world of two-fisted, hard-drinking blue-collar Texas, and Orq brings something new to its table. Unlike so many young blues players, Orq knows how to relax. His playing, though fast at times, is never show-offy or forced, and his singing is just as laid-back."
- Kansas City, MO
The Mighty Orq sounds like the name of a comic-book superhero — one that might have cool underwater powers and the ability to converse with dolphins.
In fact, it's the collective name of drummer Matt Johnson, bassist Westside Johnny and singer/guitarist Orq.
The Mighty Orq effortlessly blends pop, rock, blues and acoustic elements on its stellar debut, Milk Money. The vibe is cool and casual throughout the album's 12 original tracks. Standouts include Carry Me Home, Heaven Sent and Walk Away, which is highlighted by a wailing, wandering guitar riff.
Orq's vocals prove a sturdy anchor: confident, sexy and controlled. He's equally at home on rousing gospel choruses and in blustery blues numbers.
They can't leap tall buildings or stop meteor showers, but their musical powers -- and prowess -- are mighty exceptional." - Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle
The Mighty Orq - To The Bone
by Keith Howerton
www.texasmusictimes.com
To be sure, The Mighty Orq's To The Bone is not a country or Americana record. It is, however, a great rock record from a band with a style that is long gone in rock and roll.
If there is a current form of music being made that can be called rock and roll The Mighty Orq is making it. It is sad that mainstream radio no longer has a contemporary “rock and roll” format like the music The Mighty Orq is putting out. If they did we might have more great bands like this one giving us great music without the struggles of what it takes to get it out there as independent artists.
The Mighty Orq rocks out as a three-piece band based out of Houston. They are not unlike another band of previous years, also from the Houston area, called ZZ Top. However, the Orq sound is more roots driven with a much stronger blues undercurrent. Their sound comes out at the listener like a freight train on a lonely track in the west Texas desert.
The energy and driving sound of To The Bone fits the reputation of the band’s popular high-energy live performances. One of the best live bands in Texas in terms of raw energy and pure visual and audio entertainment, The Mighty Orq's guitar-driven beats and big punches will bring a smile to any 70s and 80s rocker. The top tracks on the record are “Hanging On,” “Set Me Free,” “If You Will,” “4+1,” “The Good Love,” and the slower “Rainy Day.”
The absolute best song on the CD is “HO.” The tune is a raucous play on words that has to be heard to understand. It is most certainly a “dudes” song but cool “chicks” will get a kick out of it also. If you are “ate up” with political correctness you are going to hate it. But then again, it is doubtful that the Mighty Orq recorded the song for the hypersensitive crowd anyway. “HO” is one kick ass song that pumps with cool lyrics and driving guitars.
The thumping electric guitar work with great rhythms makes To The Bone a record for anyone who has a yearning for what rock and roll should be. A fantastic record.
- Texas Music Times Magazine
"In Nov. 2005, we booked The Mighty Orq to play at the 5th Anniversary Bash for the Texas Music Chart. Even though the line-up included ultra popular acts such as Randy Rogers, The Mighty Orq performed an explosive 40 minute set and truly stole the show. I've since seen TMO on many occassions and each and every time I'm blown away by the superiority of their talent and the sheer power of their live performance.
This trio captures the essence of Texas blues-rock in the same tradition as ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Arc Angels. With a soulful vocal range that's completely off the charts, soaring guitars and bombastic drum rhythms, this could very well be the next little ol' band from Texas." - Jessica Benavides, Asst. Chart Editor/Staff Writer
They must hear it every single show, so it was downright gracious (and no doubt ironic) of the Mighty Orq to thank the people who "yelled 'Play some Stevie!'" in the liner notes of To the Bone. In truth, the Bayou City blues-rockers are much less indebted to Stevie Ray Vaughan than to his rhythm section Double Trouble's post-SRV project the Arc Angels and, in turn, the Angels' musical and spiritual mentor Eric Clapton. Whereas Vaughan's high-octane attack rarely ventured very far outside the 12-bar framework of the blues, both Clapton and the Angels were much more willing to introduce outside elements (sophisticated Beatles-based pop, for one) into their sound.
The same holds true for To the Bone, which, while very much a platform for the six-string heroics of the trio's eponymous frontman, contains few songs (aside from the Allmans-esque "4 + 1" and the Cream-y "The Good Love") that could be classified as straight blues. Rockers such as opener "Falling Down" and "Set Me Free" sally forth on vintage Zeppelin riffs (and attendant Clapton/Jimmy Page-like fretwork), and "Hangin' On" and "If You Will" likewise seem lifted straight from the "Heartbreaker" mold. However, the playful piano chords and falsetto vocals of "Rainy Day" and acoustic-based "Blue Eyes" are overt attempts to capture the hearts of John Mayer fans.
As the titles imply, Orq's lyrics are as workmanlike as the music and largely confined to his success or failure at love — the scathing "H.O." will win him few feminist friends, though "Falling Down" and the aforementioned ballads are considerably more sympathetic. However unfashionable solid, meat-and-potatoes rock like To the Bone may be to the more indie-attuned ears on the coasts, in Texas it never truly goes out of style.
- Chris Gray
"After one listen to this CD (Milk Money) I was hooked!! Then after their excellent, professional and highly entertaining performace, I was addicted!!!
I have recommended them to any and every client/venue that I believe suits their vast demographic. They have not failed to disappoint and CD's fly out the doors at each show.
These guys may be "unknown" right now, but all too soon they're going to be the "camp out overnight for tickets" band that we will be honored to have known back in the beginning. Book the Mighty Orq!! Support the Mighty Orq!! These are highly talented and terrific human beings." - Dawn Dale
The Mighty Orq is a living, breathing piece of Texas's musical heritage. Although the band's music is firmly steeped in the dive-bar blues and boogie-rock of such legends as ZZ Top and Stevie Ray, Orq applies a fresh sense of melody and plenty of poppy hooks, bringing an incredible amount of energy and momentum to an all-too-frequently stale genre. Don't worry, though: Orq experiments carefully, never losing the gut-level impact that makes blues-based rock music so damned enjoyable in the first place. To the Bone, due out the night of this show, finds the local three-piece going farther afield with their exploration of the limitations and possibilities of guitar-driven Southern rock. The album features several overtly poppy songs (Orq calls them "pretty"), one "Gulf Coast club anthem" remix hopeful and one political soapbox. Presumably so they don't alienate the die-hard rockists in their fanbase, Orq has issued a guitars-only disclaimer concerning one of the "pretty" songs, "Blue Eyes" — just in case you thought they'd gone soft and snuck in a few keyboards. Hardly. Orq wants you to know you can still count on them to provide the backdrop to a few beers, a few laughs and a damn good time.
- Nicholas L. Hall
The Mighty Orq is a living, breathing piece of Texas's musical heritage. Although the band's music is firmly steeped in the dive-bar blues and boogie-rock of such legends as ZZ Top and Stevie Ray, Orq applies a fresh sense of melody and plenty of poppy hooks, bringing an incredible amount of energy and momentum to an all-too-frequently stale genre. Don't worry, though: Orq experiments carefully, never losing the gut-level impact that makes blues-based rock music so damned enjoyable in the first place. To the Bone, due out the night of this show, finds the local three-piece going farther afield with their exploration of the limitations and possibilities of guitar-driven Southern rock. The album features several overtly poppy songs (Orq calls them "pretty"), one "Gulf Coast club anthem" remix hopeful and one political soapbox. Presumably so they don't alienate the die-hard rockists in their fanbase, Orq has issued a guitars-only disclaimer concerning one of the "pretty" songs, "Blue Eyes" — just in case you thought they'd gone soft and snuck in a few keyboards. Hardly. Orq wants you to know you can still count on them to provide the backdrop to a few beers, a few laughs and a damn good time.
- Nicholas L. Hall
Sexy, bluesy and blustery rock from a tight-knit trio. There's real fire, too, in the titular frontman's vocals - Houston Chronicle
Sexy, bluesy and blustery rock from a tight-knit trio. There's real fire, too, in the titular frontman's vocals - Houston Chronicle
"The first thing you notice about Orq is 'The Voice',...it's a voice that Bob Schneider and countless other gritty male vocalists from the Joe Cocker School of Rock secretly wish they had. Range, pitch, vibe and yes, grit are all there in some magic combination that bring the song right to the listener...You just KNOW this guy can rock, even when he's holding back...So far, Orq is hitting home runs. I can easily see him playing in bigger places. His only weakness so far, is that he's not working with me!" - SugarHill Studios
"The first thing you notice about Orq is 'The Voice',...it's a voice that Bob Schneider and countless other gritty male vocalists from the Joe Cocker School of Rock secretly wish they had. Range, pitch, vibe and yes, grit are all there in some magic combination that bring the song right to the listener...You just KNOW this guy can rock, even when he's holding back...So far, Orq is hitting home runs. I can easily see him playing in bigger places. His only weakness so far, is that he's not working with me!" - SugarHill Studios
Discography
Live: Lost in Germany (2011)
To The Bone (2008)
Milk Money (2005)
Ghost Train (2004)
Prayer Book (2002)
Photos
Bio
Summer 2011
For almost nine years The Mighty Orq have been playing relentlessly around the South and Europe releasing five albums, their last two on Pepper Cake Records, and developing a distinct, recognizable sound as well as a tremendous grassroots following. Their music is a blend of classic rock energy, Gulf Coast blues, R&B, and pop with gospel undertones that are as unique as they are powerful.
They started out playing the local haunts in their home town of Houston in late 2002, and over the last decade have developed into an internationally touring workhorse. Everywhere the band plays the sentiment among audiences is the same; ‘Why aren’t these guys famous?!’ “It’s something we don’t think about too much because, honestly, we’re too busy,” says Mighty Orq, front man and guitarist for the trio.
The band just returned from their sixth European tour in May 2011 in support of their latest release, Lost In Germany. This album is something of a retrospective. It is a live recording capturing a night in Germany from 2010 at the intimate venue, Kornbrennerei. In addition there are tracks taken from an earlier live recording in 2003 at Houston’s famous blues venue, The Big Easy Social & Pleasure Club. Lost In Germany offers a singular insight into group’s musical evolution; from its early inception as a traditional Blues band to a more song-writing oriented, southern rock and pop sound. Along with songs from the last four albums, Lost In Germany also features four new unreleased tracks, “The Possum Song,” “So Sad,” “Cold Hearted,” and the Freddie King classic, “Pack It Up.”
Over the summer the band plans to record not one but two albums. The first will be a band effort showcasing all the new material that has been written over the last three years of non-stop traveling and performing. The second recording, sponsored by a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance, will be more in the solo vein showcasing Orq’s acoustic guitar and dobro acumen. The theme for this second CD will be ‘Houston Music’ highlighted with performances and songs by prominent Houston musicians both past and present.
The future is busy and bright for this talented and hard-working band from Houston. To find out about upcoming events and listen to some mighty tunes visit the band at www.MightyOrq.com.
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