Cooks King Alon, Pete Band, Josh Band at PhilaMOCA (Click any photo to enlarge)There's a lot you can say about local pysch-rock foursome The Really Cooks -- just don't accuse them of not being fun. In fact, "fun" is probably the first word that comes to mind when describing these West Philly hooligans -- well, "fun" and maybe "wacky," or perhaps "raucous." A fixture on the scene for 3+ years now (prior to forming The Really Cooks they performed as The Josh and Pete Band) The Cooks understand that music is meant to be enjoyed -- and help facilitate said enjoyment with costumes, cartoons, and seriously catchy tunes.
Cook Pete BandOn new record Dr. Lemonade Stand (released this past weekend) the band takes fun to a whole new level, with an energy-fueled romp through 11 '60s-influenced charmers, full of zany characters, vocal harmonies, and Josh's formidable bar-band keyboard-playing. The band celebrated its release this past Saturday with a full-on musical carnival at PhilaMOCA, playing Dr. Lemonade Stand in its entirety for eager crowds.
The record kicks off with quirky dance number "Dance in High Heels," a intriguing and creative cavort about a chic who -- like myself -- experiences problems walking in heels. Could this trait really be endearing, as the band suggests? For my sake, let's hope so. Follower "Porter" is a psych-tinged, circus-y gambol, complete with cartoon voices -- while "All Up in the Air" is a punchy, sunny rollick, choral vocals resonating like CSNY. "Claude Monet" is a skulking, Eastern-tinged charmer about -- you guessed it -- Claude Monet ("Forget Michelangelo," croons the band) -- while "Patio" is a rollicking toe-tapper about making out with a girl on the patio, until her dad gets angry and threatens to hurt you. ("We tried to write a love song, and this is what we came up," explains the band.) But my fave track? The slinky, psychedelic "Mr. Badman," an insatiably dark romp with Queen-like levels of drama.
Alon sings alongAnd while Dr. Lemonade Stand sounds certainly sounds awesome on record -- live, it felt imbued with extra specialness, courtesy of the band's energy and antics, from audience participation to cotton candy-flinging to drummer Lem "Lemonade"'s goofy, charming grin. Add to the mixture a ridiculously impressive collection of cartoon videos (Pete Band moonlights as an animator) AND a willingness to commit completely -- and you have yourself a force be reckoned with. Def one of MY fave up-and-coming bands this side of Philly-- now that's cookin'.
More photos from The Really Cooks CD release:
Lemonade: 25 cents
Openers Mercury Radio Theater
Openers Conversations with Enemies
Getting psyched for The Really Cooks!
Cookin'
Previously on Local Radar: White Birds
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