KINION profile picture

KINION

Reggae / Rock / Dub /
Alternative / Rap / Other

About Me



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Music:

Member Since: 5/2/2005
Band Website: kinionmusic.com
Band Members: George Garces - Guitar/Vocals
Mark Cevallos - Bass Guitar
Alex Elena - Drums

Influences: Washington Heights, New York City

Sounds Like: "Let me start off by saying that the music of Kinion is unique. This trio from the streets of New York City takes the gritty attitude of a punk rock band while using a blend of hip-hop, rock, and reggae musical styles...At first the sounds my ears were hearing sounded a little bit strange, but they quickly adjusted and got into the groove of Kinion's unique music. I especially enjoyed the mixture of old school hip-hop against the backdrop of rock guitar riffs that the band uses. I like it when artists aren't afraid to mix it up and stretch a musical genre's envelope, and that's just what Kinion does very well on this release. If you’re looking for some gritty music with a mixture of world sounds, then Kinion is for you." - C.W. Ross, Senior Staff Writer. Indiemusicstop.com

"Sit down. Stand up. It doesn’t matter, because this album has got it covered from end to end. No exaggeration. Kinion’s self-titled LP is the obvious mark of amazing things to come from a band that smatters dub reverb over reggae rock in a way that is as fresh as their record label’s apt namesake. This trio understands you got to get up to get down. They also understand you got to throw some old school hip-hop in there once in a while; kind of like salting the meat.

Should it gel the way it does? Reggae, Dub, Rock, Hip-Hop? Yes. And Kinion is no Sublime re-boot (Sublime is the strongest correlation made of those eclectic sounds without having listened to Kinion, so deal with the following comparison). Where Bradley and Co. were getting higher than Hubble from Long Beach, Kinion is actually gravitating back to earth from a mescaline fueled space voyage of old. Where Sublime’s music was about feeling, grasping, and trying to ascend out of a tangible mess, Kinion’s music is about bringing back that universal knowledge that’s been biding its time in the collective subconscious and applying it to the doldrums of every day existence.

The album starts off musically more astute compared to the leaning sounds found on the rest of the album. You receive baptism into the album with Freedom which definitely riffs off of Rage Against the Machine via their later, funkier work. After the initial salute, Kinion drops into Everybody, an obvious single, yet not an obvious representation of the album’s entirety. On Everybody, Kinion seems to channel Grand Master Flash and Sugar Hill Gang to produce what is a most infectious hip-hop tribute to some of the greatest lyricists of all time. It’s on this second track that it’s already noticed and appreciated the different modes the guitarist/vocalist George Garces can dip his voice in and out of. He leaps from mono-rhythmic MC to high pitched soul crooner in lesser steps than it takes to make any aforementioned leaps. He’s got that truly versatile voice that “is so” because it is perfectly imperfect. Its got rough edges… it’s not polished. It’s got grit, however. The grittiness is essentially Garces biting the grooves with his teeth and stretching it as it bounces onward. At least that’s how I’d describe it.

And grittiness is a big part of what makes Kinion’s sound unique. Once you get past these opening two tracks the album really switches gears into a much more adrift, somewhat “reggaeton”, complacency. This style of music is usually marked for blending reverb and staccato pulse. However, Kinion owns it with their urban style that embraces the imbalance of a live performance that is tweaked into nuance by the credibility that comes with great craftsmanship and exercise. When you listen to the album you can really imagine the street corners these guys were loitering at; banging on trash cans and strumming on street lights (yeah, I lifted that last fragment from Doug). It’s a really fun-as-hell trip well worth taking. This album belongs in the car, in the club, in your head."- Damon Peoples at music-reviewer.com

"Very tasty psychedelic guitar work leads [Pa Lalu Paya] off and wakes every electron in my body. This is excitement, and I love it. “I know that you’re taken in by everything life has got to give.” So, you caught me. And why not? I’m here for the duration, and I plan to spread the love around. The bass guitar is the star of this song. The singer sorta hangs out behind the corner, and when the lead guitar sneaks in he also sounds like he’s over in the other room, tho it is clear enough. Even the drums, while understandable, are outside in the yard. The description sounds weird, but this is great entertainment – worth seeking out. Shoutout for the equally exciting Freedom - “Isn’t it better to educate oneself than listen to the words of a wooden professor?” Interesting question." - Eartaste.com

Ritmo y Palabra by KINION

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Links to KINION CD's and Downloads:

Record Label: New York Fresh! Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Album review by music-reviewer.com

"Sit down. Stand up. It doesn't matter, because this album has got it covered from end to end. No exaggeration. Kinion's self-titled LP is the obvious mark of amazing things to come from a band that s...
Posted by KINION on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:43:00 PST

Live Footage from The Annex NYC

Ritmo y Palabra by KINION Add to My Profile | More Videos...
Posted by KINION on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:50:00 PST

Banner Codes

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Posted by KINION on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:50:00 PST

XM RADiO features Kinion on the RADAR REPORT

XM RADiO will be featuring KINION on Thursday  July 19, 2007 on the R>A>D>A>R REPORT at 10pm ET. "The RADAR REPORT is a special feature highlighting our most notable bands each week." - XM Radio. T...
Posted by KINION on Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:20:00 PST

Live guest appearance on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles

90.7M Playlist: http://kpfk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23 76&Itemid=79..=enTune into 90.7 FM in L.A. or 98.7 FM in Santa Barbara or listen live online at kpfk.org at 11:00am, Monday ...
Posted by KINION on Mon, 04 Dec 2006 01:17:00 PST