Allow me to preface this by saying I wish The Nox Boys well. I think it's fantastic that these kids are playing rock and roll. It sounds like they're having fun and I can say, from experience, that they're venturing into territory that will leave them with a lifetime of fond memories and many experiences to draw from in life. I really hope they sell a million!
That said, I think their sound is, at best, average. That is not an insult, it's merely my opinion. Does my opinion count? To some folks, it does. One of the many things that I do as a freelance writer is write music reviews. I do so because I am asked to do so, and am often compensated to do so. Obviously, some people feel that I have enough knowledge about music to make an informed and educated opinion on the subject. I am regularly sent new releases from independent artists all the way up to receiving advance copies from Sony. Again, this is because some people believe that I know what I'm talking about and also know that I'll be honest. I also have a belief that it is useless to write a bad review. I know what it takes to write, record, mix, master, release, and promote music. It's a lot of work. And, sadly, for most...there is no big pay day. In today's world, more so than any time in history, recording and releasing music is truly a seller's market populated by artists of varying talents. Numbers no longer equate to popularity. Just because a video on YouTube has been viewed by a large number of people, does not equate to popularity. It just means a lot of people have clicked on it. The song "Chocolate Rain", as of this writing, has over 95 million views. The song is considered, by most, to be a joke. It helps to keep things in perspective. Regarding the value placed on my opinion: when I write a review, it is read by anywhere between 20,000+ paid subscribers and a few hundred thousand different readers of various sites that post and repost my ramblings. I get some interesting emails agreeing and disagreeing with me. It's just nice to know someone is paying attention.
OK, so The Nox Boys...they're a (mostly) teenage band from Pittsburgh who signed to local label Get Hip Records. They have received a good deal of local media attention due to this. Now the question: are they any good? Whew...talk about a loaded question.
Good or bad is a personal opinion and/or perception. I'll leave that out. What they are is a teen band playing their take on 60s garage rock. If you're unsure of what garage rock is, think "96 Tears" or "Louie Louie" or "Strychnine". The music tends to be simple in structure, somewhat poppy, and usually played loud and with abandon. The owners of Get Hip are in a well-known garage rock band called The Cynics. So, it would be safe to say that they know garage rock well. As a distribution company, it would be safe to say that they know what will and won't sell. The market is a mess these days, though, and as always, there are no guarantees. So it's all about promotion.
Show biz has a long tradition of exploiting the varying talents of kids (and yes, teenagers are kids). Long before Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, et al, even long before Annette Funicello, kids in show biz have been exploited. Ever heard of Mozart? Yep. Him too.
Why is this? Simple: seeing a kid perform with some level of talent brings on the "Awwwww, ain't that cute!" syndrome. The late W.C. Fields hated working with kids and dogs for this very reason. It has nothing to do with talent. It has to do with cuteness and upstaging.
I started my rock and roll career as one of those kids. It was fun and very short-lived. Somewhat akin to being a one trick pony. That said, when I first heard about The Nox Boys, I really wanted to like them. The press that I had read about them played up their talents as musicians and songwriters. Gregg Kostelich, of Get Hip Records and Cynics guitarist, was "impressed" by the tones these kids got from his own amp. I've always been impressed by Gregg's tone, so I figured this was definitely worth checking out!
So, I spent Saturday morning listening to everything I could find online by the Boys. I felt let down. No, I didn't hate what they sounded like. I wasn't moved by it either. It sounded very average. It sounded like what it was...a bunch of kids playing garage rock. I wasn't impressed by the live videos or the few "studio" tracks I found. I then posted two of their videos and my opinion, on my Facebook page. Between comments posted and private messages received, the overwhelming consensus was "boring" "derivative" and "sucks". A friend's daughter, who is a personal friend of one of the band members, jumped to their defense. I love this kid like family and I know that she is smart and talented, so I listen to anything she ever has to say. Her mother also joined in (that's what moms do!). They seemed to think that we were picking on the kids. No one was. If anything, we were making fun of the media. Just another case of the media trying to create hype rather than allow it to build on it's own. I think the press misses Beatlemania. You'd think that by now, they'd be over it.
What amazed me was that one of the videos I posted was taken down within minutes of people starting to comment on it. Probably a smart move on the band's behalf. They were booked to play a sold out show at The Warhol that night. The video wasn't exactly great, so it could have been detrimental to the show. Credit where it's due...that was a smart move boys!
My friend's daughter posted a new song by The Nox Boys today, and damned right! I listened to it! Three times. Sadly, I'm still not impressed. While the recording quality was better than what I've already heard, the songwriting and musicianship is still, at best, average. I'm not saying these kids don't have talent. Not at all! I think they do! I think too much attention is being thrown at them right now and they'll never be able to live up to the hype. That's a lot of pressure to put on anyone...especially a kid.
If there's anything that I dislike about The Nox Boys, it's this: I hoped for more. I was wanting, nay expecting, to hear something that would blow my mind. I wanted to take pride in knowing that the city I live in was producing greatness. I was hoping for, honestly, the next big thing. The Bible tell us "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9)...and I understand that. I was merely hoping for maybe louder, brasher, snottier, wittier...something more 'in your face'. I was hoping for something that today's youth could claim as their own. Something their parents would hate...not a sappy bonding moment.
Instead, what I got was a bunch of nice kids from Pittsburgh, playing something similar to what they've already heard.
I am hopeful for the future. This experience could be what this young band needs to push them to experiment. They do know how to play. If they continue, they will only get better. I hope they will learn to listen to criticism as much as praise. If they fall into the trap of allowing people to blow smoke up their collective asses, they're doomed. If they take control of their own destiny, they could well make something of themselves.
So congratulations to The Nox Boys for getting signed. Unfortunately, they probably won't make a ton of money from it. Anyone who knows the industry knows this. But, they should have fun! Congratulations to Gregg at Get Hip for taking the chance on these kids. I think I understand what he was hearing. I just think they can do more. Much more.
Lastly, shame on the media for trying to exploit these kids as something they are not (yet). I'll say it again, I think these kids could be headed in the right direction. Just leave them alone and let them play...and experiment...and create. We don't need "Awwwwwww, ain't that precious!" We already have 'America's Got Talent' for that....and that show sucks. But that's just my opinion.
OK...you've read this far. If you want to hear The Nox Boys, here they are. This is the clip my friend's daughter posted today. It's not bad. It's not great. It is what it is. I DO think they show promise...they're just not there yet.
Lastly, a P.S. to The Nox Boys themselves:
I'm not picking on you. I get what you're doing. I'd wager that you will shine...especially once you come into your own. Keep it up! - MM
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