Smackmelon
(Cherrydisc)
by Joey Ammo
photo by Dan Bento
Straight from the offices of John Horton and his cheery Cherrydisc family, the folks who brought us two of the finest local products of 1993, Letters To Cleo’s Aurora Gory Alice and Heretix’ The Adventures of Superdevil comes the latest addition to Boston’s big roster, Smackmelon.
History lesson: Vocalist/guitarist Duke Roth was playing with Bullet Lavolta when he began writing his own material. Realizing these songs were not right for B.L., he developed them privately. While rehearsing them alone in his studio one night, the sound was impressive enough to cause passing neighbor drummer Robert Brazier (formerly of Orangutang) to knock on the door and introduce himself. After spending the night jamming on the material together, Brazier was on the phone to his friend Eric Jarmon, then bassist for Voodoo Dolls, insisting he had found what they were looking for. Another rehearsal with all three nailed down the obvious and Smackmelon was born.
Enter producer extraordinaire Tim O’ Heir. Once O’Heir heard the band, he was just as convinced. He decide to begin recording them at Fort Apache during his own down time (this guy has down time?!) and the results brought even more smiles. Not only was there something magical about the sound of this band, but the Roth songs were growing even as the tape rolled. The Man with the Ear, O’Heir buckled down and fully produced the six songs that were to later become their debut CD.
Along came a Cherry: The Man with the Nose, John Horton smelled a scent on the breeze and hunted these melons down. Allowing full creative control of the product, Horton picked up the O’Heir tapes wholly and signed Smackmelon on with CherryDisc to distribute and promote the six song self-titled CD. Having full confidence in Boston’s SubPop and what they had already accomplished, the guys climbed aboard.
If you haven’t seen or heard Smackmelon yet, you’re missing out. Don’t expect MTV icons here though; these are three guys who put their powerful pop across in a genuine way. Sure, songs like “Dick Driver” and “Spaceshot” may rock your world, but the lyrics here are meaningful and the musicianship superb. A perhaps humble and self-deprecating band, there is a horseshoe in that glove. The sometimes biting sarcasm is carefully laced between the folds of the ringing guitars, and will sneak-smack you right upside the head. See them live and feel them deliver it twice as hard. Songs being the single most important element of any band, Smackmelon’s future is assured.
