She’s So Heavy
What’s a Floozie? She’s the young, so-called harlot that no one takes seriously until her meteoric come hither hits you between your drooped eyes - the nascent Madonna, the budding Blondie who hipsters dismiss and disdain until they find themselves alone with their limped hubris in viscous hand. The band known as Floozie are all full-up, straight male but their career aims prefigure a similar trajectory as the feminized metaphor upon which their new record gets its title, “She Wants to Be Some Bodyâ€.
A blend of addictive melodies, sweet candy hooks, twenty-something angst, and Beck-like lyrical Dadaism, Floozie is an amalgam of all that is immediately undeniable yet eternally inscrutable in rock music. Hailed by the Buffalo News as “harmonically sound, lyrically ambitious and radio-friendly…adding a tad of “Bendsâ€-era Radiohead in the guitar department and…the work of the Beatlesâ€, these wunderkinds have gone from the latest buzz band with a cool haircut to one of the most vital and critically acclaimed acts in the Buffalo/Niagara region.
“She Wants to Be Some Body†(the title of their new record) is codex whose cryptic message implies the eventual heft that our “girl†- our Floozie - desires (no silly, not her actual poundage but, rather, her well deserved gravitas). She wants to be somebody and she wants to be some body. Our, too often, musically barren orb is about to give way to her - coming out of nowhere - gravitational approach? She’s so heavy, indeed!
“She Wants to Be Some Bodyâ€, plucked from the lyrics of one of Floozie’s new album’s best tracks, “Going to Californiaâ€, truly embodies the wanderlust and spirit of the band as it fits and starts its way towards its manifest destiny – “Californiaâ€, envisioned in all its folkloric majesty. Their fictional heroine, whose picture graces the CD cover, is too journeying her way westward. But, again, she merely represents the band, Floozie, themselves, groping toward this seemingly unattainable goal. If you want to understand this “concept†record and – the Floozie ethos - this is it: the single-minded conquest of the vocational and artistic end run. The Pacific beckons! And they’re chasing the surf.
Regularly selling out mid-sized clubs on its own, Floozie has also appeared with Sponge, Theory of a Dead Man, Default, The Trews, Soul Asylum and more – often making a greater impact and bringing a bigger crowd. What makes Floozie’s music truly special is their lyric’s always archetypal evocations - married with universal, but indelibly original, riffs, arrangements, and hooks. Both sweet and sour, Floozie has blazed its path of musical glory by embracing a smart pop sensibility alongside a very nasty visceral wallop – with experimental tendencies bubbling just below the surface.
The main Floozie out in front is songwriter, singer and guitarist Jim Schwartz Jr., whose unrelenting snarl and hiss has become the musical drug of choice among those hip enough to score it. Forming the band at the beginning of this millennium, Jim, along with their veteran producer Nelson Starr, has cooked up a remarkable feast of musical confections. Added to the mix are Jim’s long-time mates, Marty Schebell Jr. on bass, Matt Manera on drums, and uber-guitarist, Michael McGranor. Besides being quite smart looking lads (see myspace photo commentary), these three very able musicians augment Schwartz’s quick-sprout talent with an honest grace and sincere musicality that roots the whole endeavor in deep, rich soil. ...but hold on tight anyway!
~William Lee
I know what you are asking yourself, "Who the hell do these Floozies think they are?" Let us let leading music critics tell you about them:
"They are up and coming stars."
-Jeff Miers- The Buffalo News
"A band whose musical style and songwriting should prove a perfect fit for widespread radio airplay."
-Mark Norris- Artvoice Magazine
"They have great talent and potential...
Amy Banks -Night and Day Magazine
"It's a travesty that this band is not one of the biggest names." (4 1/2-5 stars)
Jaime Dombrowski- Night-Life Magazine
Recent accomplishments include:
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97 Rock “Artist of the Monthâ€A 41/2 star rating in the Niagara Falls Gazette (out of 5)Critical praise in the Buffalo News (including a full page article on the Floozie phenomenon) and Artvoice MagazinePast regular rotation on commercial radio (the Edge 103.3 and 97 Rock)Local television and media coverageRaves on Broadjam.com including taking 2nd and 4th place in ratings for their songsBrisk sales of their last, self-titled CDNew! An hour-long Floozie radio interview and full CD preview on the Lake 107.7New! Confirmation of addition to the Lake playlist, regular rotation coming soon!Featured performers at Thursday in the Square 2007
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