68 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • OCTOBER 9, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com buzz • • • NEW TUNES • • • BY THE SKUNKMELLO CREW BY ECLEEN CARABELLO As areas in Queens go through a process of gentrifi - [email protected] cation, Ori continues to enjoy the simple pleasures in his community, including the diversity of foods and, Skunkmello, a raw-sounding and eccentric band, believe it or not, the lack of overfl ow of rising artists, released their fi rst full-length album on Sept. 16 and it he said. smells like a success already, according to the group. Yet there’s no denying that the band’s new album, With unique sounds that refl ect what the band “Stars & Stripes,” is “cool” by many listeners’ standards. members themselves desire to hear today, they’ve maintained a following of people that have the same vision for the future of music. Jono Ori, drummer and vocalist for the band, is also a student at Columbia’s school of journalism, with a masters in media production from The New School, and works with the university’s School of Continuing Education. Hailing from New Jersey and currently residing in Astoria, Ori is a lover of Queens. “The cool thing about Queens is that it’s not cool,” he said. “Cool by other people’s standards is not quite cool for me.” BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL ONSITE DOCTORS • EYE EXAMS • CONTACTS • 1 HOUR SERVICE • VISION PLANS ACCEPTED • SUNGLASSES • LOWEST PRICES FLEX SPENDING Use it or lose it! 2 PAIR OF EYEGLASSES QC QC QC $99 Includes: EYE EXAM, Frames & Lenses Select frames with clear plastic, single vision lenses+/- 4 sph., 2 cyl. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Offer ends: 11/11/14 NO-LINE BIFOCAL EYEGLASSES $99 Includes: EYE EXAM, No-Line Bifocal Lenses & Frame Select frame with select clear plastic no-line bifocal lenses +/- 4 sph., 2 cyl up to 2.50 add. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Offer ends: 11/11/14 BAY TERRACE SHOPPING CENTER 211-51 26 AVENUE • BAYSIDE, NY 11360 718.631.3699 *FREE with the purchase of glasses. Contact Lens Exam and EYE EXAM tting add’l. *See store for details. QC DISPOSABLE CONTACTS $99 Includes: •EYE EXAM •2 Boxes of Lenses Contact Lens Fitting additional. Clear Soft contacts brand clear spherical lenses.Not Valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer ends: 11/11/14 DESIGNER SUNGLASSES st STARTING AT $99 QC of the 2013 THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com Place Some Restrictions Apply. See Store For Details. In Stock Items Only. Not Valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer expires: 11/11/14 Its mellow and unique vibes form a conglomeration of sounds that keep listeners intrigued. According to Ori, the band plans to expand their horizons and are open to including anything from rap to 60s rock in their upcoming projects, primarily “in an effort to not get bored,” he said. Ori’s bandmates are Matt Barlett on lead vocals, guitar and harmonica and Ed Cuervo on bass and vocals. They have had this project in the works for the past 11 to 12 months and are pleased with the outcome. For Ori and the band, studio time went from being a way to blow off steam after work to a non-negotiable part of their day. Their music has captivated many and taken them to various parts of the United States, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Maryland, keeping Barlett’s “beat-up Jeep Cherokee” jam-packed with gear and their hearts content. Prior to their new album they released their debut EP, “Whiskey & Oatmeal,” in November 2012 and the follow-up EP, “Lowlife Dreams,” in June 2013. Ori said that for the band, performing live is the best part of the whole thing, and they enjoy feeding off of the energy of crowds. Skunkmello has evolved and grown since it was fi rst formed in 2012, yet the band still sees room for growth. They look forward to adding on backup singers, horn players and more, all in an “effort to not get bored,” and make music that’s crowd-pleasing and different than anything else that’s out there. For more information on upcoming shows—and how to get your hands on “Stars & Stripes,”—visit skunkmello. com. From left: Jono Ori (drums, vocals), Matt Bartlett (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), and Ed Cuervo (bass, vocals) of NYCbased blues-rock band Skunkmello. Photo by Jon Hanford
QC10092014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above