SMELL MY PILLOW
Album Preview: Off Switch (2010)
For fans of: Rock
Marc “KWall” Kowalski is the founder, music writer, and guitarist of Smell My Pillow born in Minneapolis, MN. Marc grew up in a family of musicians and started playing guitar @ age 8. Former bands include; Deck O’ Squares (Boston)(with former members of the Modern Lovers, Human Sexual Response, the 2X4’s, and The Classic Ruins), LeeKy BeeTs (Mpls), Tim Mahoney, Retail, and other side projects.
Mike Matheson is the lyrical storyteller for Smell My Pillow. His musical influences include a variety of artists that would fill this page if allowed (he was cut off as happens often when talking to him). Before hooking up with Marc, he spent his weekends singing with any band that would allow him to take the microphone for a song or two. Self professed Karaoke whore.
Bass player and St. Paul MN native Brian LaMere has been playing in the Twin Cities music scene for many years. Bands include; 8 Foot 4, Kenny McMahon and Friends, The Groove Rule, and Donkey Punch.
Drummer extraordinaire, Troy Berg, started playing drums at the age of 8 years old and was in his first band before his voice changed at age 13. Troy has recorded and toured with many great bands in the Twin Cities including; St. Cry, Droplet, and Produkt with Greg Herriges and John Wright.
Review:
Reviewed by Matheson Kamin
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
Review Summary: Off Switch, the new release from Smell My Pillow, is a perfect release for listeners who are looking for a little more energy in what they hear. It showcases a band that take their own path when creating new music.
Review: When the bands that end up getting played on either side of the radio dial seem to be losing a lot of their edge and going for a much gentler sound and feel, it’s great to find that one band out there that wants to explore the harder side of rock. One of these bands is the Minneapolis, Minnesota based group Smell My Pillow. Smell My Pillow is Vocalist Mike Matheson, Guitarist Marc “KWALL” Kowalski, Bassist Brian LaMere and Drummer Troy Berg, a relatively young group that just released their CD entitled Off Switch.
Off Switch begins with the song “Free”, an anthem celebrating independence and featuring one of the strongest beats on the album. This song makes you believe that a good hard-rockin’ song can still be found if you look hard enough. While the title track is strong, it also shows that the band has a sound all its own and showcases their creativity.
A sign of a decent band is that they know how to play complex melodies and make them sound good, but a group like Smell My Pillow that can take a simple song and make it feel is genuinely talented. “Walkin’ Tall” offers that moment of entertainment in a rather simple musical formula. On “Urban Decay Package,” the boys let loose a little of their humorous side in a song about a car. The song also features one of the best examples of Troy Berg’s talent as a drummer.
At the end of Off Switch, Smell My Pillow extends the album with a hidden track, an acoustic version of “Debbi.” The hidden track is a simple duo between guitarist Kowalski and singer Matheson, as opposed to the full band version heard earlier on the record.
Off Switch is a perfect release for those music lovers who have been looking for a little more energy in the things they have been listening to. While there are a few moments on the new release that don’t live up to the rest of it, the vast majority of Off Switch is well done, and the talent of the musicians in the band helps make the release a strong alternative to a majority of what’s on the radio.
Track List (If MP3 samples don't play, try right-clicking links and opening in new tab):
01. Free ♫
02. Off Switch ♫
03. Life's Too Short ♫
04. Debbie ♫
05. Katelyn ♫
06. My Girl ♫
07. Walkin Tall ♫
08. Urban Decay Package (U.D.P.) ♫
09. Kissing the Ground ♫
10. So Alive ♫
11. Hide ♫
12. Days Like These ♫
13. Debbie (acoustic) ♫
Purchase link: CDBaby
Artist's website(s): Smell My Pillow | MySpace | Facebook
