When the words, “So what are you waiting for, its time to get GRUMPY!!” become something of a banner of truth in your mind that you’d be willing to hang your star on, what do you do? Some would pick up a pen and paper and write down a mission statement and list possible actions to take in order to spread the word of their new found belief system, others would simply rise from their chair, take a walk to the bathroom and splash some cold water in their face knowing full well that they’ve had too much to drink. Michele, Howie, Phil and Dawn of the New York City band Loki the Grump chose to chase after the first of these options, and the vote is still out as to whether or not they’ve accomplished their goal of converting people to what they call the newest genre in music aptly titled ‘Grump’.
Invented genres and a lack of last names anywhere on both their website and their press kit aside, Loki the Grump’s sound does not stray far from the formulaic drag of generic punk music, where the drum beats are simple and interchangeable, the guitar parts are all within the confines of three chords (with LTG, it seems these three chords are G, C and D, though one cannot be completely sure) and a female vocalist who could have a shot at sounding like Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex, if only she could reach those high notes.
With lyrics like “I know about backburner better than I’d ever care to tell, but I’m takin’ control now and leavin’ you in your own hell,” gracing the verses of ‘Brand New Me’ and “I don’t wanna be you anymore, and I won’t pledge allegiance to your war” punctuating the politically motivated but poorly thought out ‘Your War’ , Loki the Grump seems as though they are trying to form poignant and cleverly laid out songs, but don’t seem to fully know how to construct such things into coherent pieces.
One would think that these seasoned New York City music scene alumni (spanning from Buffalo to the streets of NYC, they’ve got long resumes and fans that exist as a result of being around local rock scenes for many years) could create something a little more effective. They are all talented and have quite a bit of potential if only they would concentrate a little more on song structure instead of light-hearted sneering. Their strength lies in their ability to appeal to a wide audience and it should be through this strength that they make a definitive effort to further develop their songwriting.
Their image is very simple and alluring with only Michele (lead singer) taking strides to represent their punk sound aesthetically. The rest of the band outside of Michele present themselves on stage with a business casual mentality, not really taking a real leap into looking the part of the music they play. This is not a detriment to the band, but it might help if they picked a look and stuck with it. This kind of sincerity may bleed directly into their music, which lacks most noticeably in the emotional department. Outside of their lead singer, the rest of the band looks as though they are just along for the ride, not really committing themselves to really getting into what they are playing. A bands image should not be the only thing it relies on in order to be successful, but when you don’t really have any kind of image to begin with, it’s a good step to make if you are going to try and develop some kind of cohesion among the band mates’ look and appeal.
Loki the Grump are currently signed to Jafzi records and have to date released one 5 song e.p. entitled ‘The Brink’ which can currently be listened to and purchased at www.cdbaby.com. One wishes only the best to Loki the Grump and their mission to solidify their position in the New York City punk scene, though it should be known that they have a long road ahead of them.
Terrence Russell Adams - Northeast In-Tune Magazine (Jul 1, 2005)