Low-tek
is a new high-energy rock band from Chicago.
Formed by singer/songwriter Johnny Monaco, Low-tek features:
Johnny Monaco - lead vocals, ZODIAC
- guitar, JUDAS -
bass and 7 - drums. Combining
the aggression of post-modern rock with the pop craft of the British Invasion,
Low-tek plays hook-filled songs that deal with topics from lost love to alien
abduction.
Low-tek’s
live shows incorporate recorded sequences using a variety of electronic dance
beats i.e. house & techno. By
thus integrating the traditional guitar-driven pop song with an electronic back
beat, Low-tek has taken the musical tools of the past and present and used them
to create a sound that is thoroughly modern and original. In the past year, Low-tek
has built a growing following with successful performances at Chicago’s top
clubs including the Metro and Double Door. In addition, Low-tek’s four track
demos have received rave reviews in such regional publications as The Illinois
Entertainer, Music Showcase Magazine, and Backstage Pass.
Ken Keenan of Music Showcase Magazine called Low-tek’s John Monaco “a
master of the pop hook.” Several of Low-tek’s songs, “It’s So Right,”
“Kung-Fu,” and “Perverted Love,” have been given airplay on Q101’s
Local Music Showcase. The show’s
host, James Van Osdol, has called Low-tek’s music “brilliant.”
CD
Reviews:
Illinois
Entertainer - T.R.
The three songs on the untitled Low-tek demo might seem sloppy, but they're not.
On "Dreams Of The Skin" distorted vocals sound like they are coming
from deep inside a locked closet, a feeling of claustrophobia intensified by a
drummer who's hitting every conceivable beat. The same industrial precision
drives "Abduction", with the addition of a repetitive riff that builds
like a quick whirlpool. And guitar sludge is made psychedelic with the infusion
of ethereal backing vocals on "Love Machine".
Q101
- James Van Osdol:
"Low-tek - Brilliant stuff cranked out on a four-track.
Give them production money and watch the bidding war begin."
When
John Monaco isn't on the road in his role as lead guitarist for hard hitting pop
rockers Enuff Z'nuff, you can bet he's hard at work by himself, writin' songs
and layin’ 'em down on the ole 8-track in his Northwest suburban Chicago digs.
He's got a slew of material, and has assembled six of his personal faves on this
brand new demo. Monaco doesn't necessarily wear his influences (Cheap Trick, Off
Broadway, Beatles) on his sleeve, but instead allows them to be heard in his
music without attempting to camouflage the fact that they exist. That's not to
say he lacks for originality. All it means is that he's not ashamed to admit
what he likes, and he uses what's comfortable as a basis to build strong songs
that, in the end, are unmistakable his own. In short, this is some pretty cool shit. On this tape, Monaco
- already a proven axe smith - demonstrates that he's no slouch behind the
microphone, either. He utilizes distortion effects in just the right places to
the tunes a down 'n' dirty feel, punctuated by catchy, fuzzy, riff-heavy
rhythms. A master of the pop hook, Monaco makes music that'll get your feet
tappin', but not without making you want to get up and pump your fist, too. As a
writer, Monaco is either looking for love or trying to find out what went wrong
the last time around. The latter notion is best exemplified on "Save
Face”, a slammin' John Lennon-ish ballad in which the subject knows he's
headed for more trouble if he sticks around, but he just can't let her go. On
the other hand, "All I Want" reduces that sentiment to pure
submission, and does so as balls-out, stompin' power rock squeezed into a pure
pop frame. "I Need To Tell You" is an acoustic, melancholy little
ditty that puts the vocals up front with no apologies - and none needed.
"Abduction" (the lead track), "It's So Right" and "Kung
Fu" (the last cut; a snarling rocker) finish off this six-pack, but that
last gulp leaves the listener thirsting for another round. Word on the streets
is that Monaco is close to getting a record deal, and once that happens look out
'cuz Low-tek is here.
Lead-off
track “Where:U:Want 2B” sees a frantic dash towards machine gun massacre
heaven. The instantly addictive
drumbeat and repetitive riffage make a perfect bed for the Monaco’s mutilated
vocals. It’s brother on here would be the programmed “Drugs In The Mix” a
curiously warpish taste of power pop meets techno. It’s the most brutal of the seven tracks, giving off an
agitated air of hostility. “Will You”, “You Win Me Over” and
“Incubus” the more alternative of the two but with a super sugary chorus.
“Useless Just Like You” is musically the most gutteral of the seven with
Monaco’s vocals sliding into either the old school metal or AOR category.
“Mustang Ricky” brings the CD to a close with what sounds like much moaning
intertwined with another rapid industrial punk rock attack.
If you know Monaco as merely being Enuff Z’Nuff’s hired hand, you
really don’t know what you’re missing. Here’s a guy who seems able to turn
his hand to anything and really come up trumps doing so.
Contact:
312-458-9794