Throughout history, Louisiana has shown an amazing musical resiliency which would be quite difficult to match by any standards. Rarely has there been a locale which has consistently churned out unique, time-tested popular music the way this southern state does. Perhaps it is the vast blend of cultures or the south's deep roots, or maybe it is the devil-may-care attitude; the motto for locals being "Laissez les bon temps roule ", (let the good times roll). From Leadbelly to Louis Armstrong; Professor Longhair to the Nevilles and Dr. John, always there was music of the highest quality. And now this tradition continues as is evident upon one spin of the New Orleans' quartet Joy Buzzer's second CD "Joy Buzzer vs. the Critics from Europa".
Besides opening for acts such as Alanis Morisette, The Smithereens, Pat Benetar and Better than Ezra, Joy Buzzer has been featured live on the CBS local morning show The Early Edition, ABC's local evening news. They are frequently rebroadcast on Cox Cable's music show LTV and Louisiana Jukebox, for which the band had made several command performances. The band was also chosen by Mountain Dew to use two of their original songs to pitch soft drinks in regional television commercials. In addition, Joy Buzzer is played on the popular alternative radio station The Zephyr (106. 7) and the band's first CD was chosen number one in Zephyr DJ Trey Blossman's annual pick. They been featured or reviewed in virtually all of New Orleans' premiere entertainment publications.
Joy Buzzer was formed in early 1994 and is comprised of vocalist/rhythym guitarist Greg Mariano, lead guitarist George Neyrey, bassist Andrew Herrera, and drummer Eddie Melara. With influences ranging from David Bowie to XTC to REM to Cat Stevens, diversity is one of the band's many strong suits. And they are a band that plays for the song.
From their quirky and humorous song "Meat" to their desperate plea for an abused woman to escape from her real-life nightmare in "Break Out", Joy Buzzer's debut CD showed New Orleans and their fans the first real glimpse of their broad-ranging talent. With the release of their second CD, Joy Buzzer's catchy hooks and intricate yet simple arrangements have proven to be more powerful, insightful, and thought provoking than ever before.
. In a musical climate rife with recycled grunge and bland adult contemporary, Joy Buzzer stands among a precious few as pioneers of a fresh new musical direction. "When everything is stripped down", says Mariano, "and we're all just acoustic, the songs are just as powerful". Yet equally important is the fact that when the lights go down, the guitars are strapped on and George rolls his strat up to 10, Joy Buzzer is not afraid to rock!
Read more...