Introducing Paper Tongues
Introducing Paper Tongues
Words by Brendan Monteiro
Fate, chance, call it what you want but if you are reading this you have been destined to find out about Charlotte, North Carolina’s greatest export to date. The seven piece band is called Paper Tongues and they know all about divine intervention. There tale is one that is instantaneously gripping, with video’s all over the net about how they managed to attract the attention of legendary grammy award winning producer/idols judge Randy Jackson. As the story goes the band made the journey up to California doing showcases and generally attempting to get their music out there. While in a restaurant Aswan North (lead vocals) spotted Jackson and approached him with hope and chance that Jackson would actually listen to them. Well Jackson did and was so impressed that he phoned the band within hours of the first initial meeting, and the rest you can say is all history.
Their sound is not in any specific direction but instead throw’s a variety of curve balls at the listeners, fusing rock, indie, soul, funk and hip hop with a bucketload of swagger. Their first single ‘Ride To California’ is a mamoth rock anthem with slight hip hop singing style and a groove that gets your body in motion. It’s also a song that almost mirrors the bands beginnings and has the energy level of an atom being split, it’s the voice of a band that wants to be heard, that needs it as much as the air they breath. In no way do I want to sound like I am comparing Paper Tongues with the band I am about to mention as I am fully aware that everybody under the sun will have their own point of view. So if I can explain then before the mass critics slam me for my comparison, there is a fiery passionate angst in Aswan’s voice, he sings the song with every bit of his being and for me ‘Ride To California’ and most importantly Aswan’s vocals in it remind me of Queens 1977 classic ‘We Will Rock You’. It’s not the actual sound but the passion and expression that can be heard that gives me this feeling.
There is a reason why Paper Tongues have been earmarked as the next big thing, bottom line they are a breath of fresh air vital to the music scene. They fill the gap under the section of original and unique bands that music lovers constantly search for. They sing with conviction about real life and colour it up with lashings of musical diversity that never bores, leaving you with a surreal feel good sensation.
March 5th, 2010
So glad people are getting into this band, they rock!