Toxic Boy

In anticipation of the release of the full-length album Troubled on Wiener Records, Long Beach troubadour Toxic Boy gives us a preview of the album with the eponymous title track. “Troubled” sees a shift for Toxic Boy, trading in a less gritty and garbled sound for an Eddie Vedder inspired jam rife with sprawling guitarwork courtesy of Los Angelino Troy Ambroff (Toxic Boy front man Andy Groke is responsible for the rest of the instrumentation.) Blending audio clips from cult classic SLC Punk, Groke paves an introduction to a classic case of alternative misunderstood pseudo-slacker blues. “Troubled” rages like a track from the Vitalogy cutting room floor, too acerbic for proper release yet perfect for a live rendition. Luckily, Toxic Boy faces no problems of potential offense – “Troubled” is easily the best possible direction Groke could take his project after a fine smattering of songs on the Toxic Boy EP.

However, the “slacker” part of Groke’s “Troubled” genre may be an enormous misnomer for what is a burgeoning debut. After winning the vote to perform the Jam In The Van contest at SXSW in March, Groke has been working steadfast to release more content as Toxic Boy, a veritable Father John Misty type, albeit of the Long Beach-Jameson loving, surf rat, hung over again persuasion. Additionally, Groke’s recent ties to Wiener records have scored him a release in August on digital format and cassette. Toxic Boy will be performing at the first annual Schlitz-A-Palooza hosted at Van Nuy’s Beer City Studios. He may be troubled, but he’s working at the damnation mighty hard.

Toxic Boy’s release on Wiener Records will be available in early August. - Moxipop

With bare-bones guitar and meticulously haunting production, Southern California’s Toxic Boy is becoming a Bandcamp favorite (and a top 5 finalist in SXSW’s Jam In The Van contest.) Toxic Boy’s first single from the forthcoming Acoustic Tapes, “Hungover Again” is the aftermath of Jameson-fueled discourse with nihilism; a minimalist’s plea the morning after a night of forgetting to appreciate some meaning new found meaning.

Reminiscent of early Eels, Southern California guitarist/singer Andy Groke channels both a survivalist songwriter mentality while still ever-so-slightly edging back into a garage-rock oeuvre.

Toxic Boy doesn’t make the case for pity. Rather, Groke asks for 2 more fingers of bourbon and cause to reflect. If that’s toxic, let’s have more of it. Toxic Boy can be found on Bandcamp at toxicboymusic.bandcamp.com (Voting for Toxic Boy in SXSW’s Jam In Van contest can be found here Through March 8.) - Moxipop