First Posted: 3/11/2013
Stereotypes and music have always seemed to go hand in hand; much of the time, the listener’s personality goes hand in hand with their favorite genre. This used to almost always be the case, but now with iPods and other means of listening to a lot of music very quickly, a listener’s shuffle could go from Jimi Hendrix to The Ramones to The Lumineers.
This seems to be the case with the young members of Scranton-based Crock Pot Abduction. Each song has a different flavor from genres all of across the board, making their debut EP, “Slow Dance for Teens,” pleasing to almost any listener.
Crock Pot Abduction – Connor Langan (bass and vocals), Erik Miller (drums), Jake Decker (guitar and vocals), PJ Cimino (guitar), Dominic Ludovici (guitar) – open with “Jurassic Sweat.” It has raspy, punk-like lyrics similar to a Green Day tune with a guitar and bass licks that are more blues than anything. It quickly displays the diverse influences of the band and how they are able to make them all come together.
Second track “Wag of the Finger” and its follow-up, “Configuring,” are unique. There are many layers: classic rock guitar riffs, modern rock lyrics, and jam band-like tempo changes.
The standout track comes in Wonderdog cover “Winter Solstice.” It starts with a gritty guitar riff that builds into a fast beat held down Langan and Miller. The solo sounds like something Slash would write, and the raw talent and musicianship displayed during the breakdown shows the huge potential for this group moving forward.
The EP ends with the title track, which changes pace and slows down a bit, and a “hidden” acoustic version of the opening track.
As a debut album, these local kids could not have done a better job. They’ve used their many influences to their advantage and have found a way to add in elements to capture almost any listener’s attention.
Rating: W W W W
