Once in a while, an artist submits their music to us for review, and before we’ve even heard a single note, we’re intrigued. That’s exactly what happened when we received Lord Sonny The Unifier’s latest single, Don’t Be An Asshole.
Brooklyn-based Lord Sonny the Unifier describes themselves as a purveyor of Post Punk ‘Biker Psychedelia’ and it might just be possible that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Add in the fact that his forthcoming full-length album is entitled “America’s Newest Hitmaker” and we felt comfortable that we were ready to listen to something just a little tongue-in-cheek.
Lord Sonny The Unifer are; Greg Jiritano: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards. Gary Atturio: Bass, Keyboards. Josh Bailey: Drums, percussion. Amy Gordon: Backing Vocals
Don’t Be An Asshole starts with some funky-sounding rhythms on the drums and this is joined by bass and piano for the introduction. This is quirky and exciting post-punk rock and grabbed our attention straight away. The piano is an unexpected touch for a punk-influenced song – we would have expected more crunchy guitars, but works really well and adds some additional uniqueness to the track.
There are some awesome psychedelic swirling synth sounds panning from left to right in the track which are fun and quirky. The vocals are driven and laden with charisma, confidence and swagger. The layered vocals in the choruses are a nice touch and as the song goes on, you will find yourself joining in. The choruses are catchy and fun to listen to.
There’s some superb bass playing in this track. The bassist picks out some really exciting patterns and these are beautifully backed up by some quality drumming, with the drummer adding in some complicated but effortless-sounding fills.
There are a couple of guitar solos in the track and both start on a repeated single note which then builds into a simple but effective solo. We love the breakdown section with organs which builds back up into that super-catchy chorus, building to a stinger ending.
Ideas from our ears
A small cut around 70-75Hz would reduce a little boominess in the low end. A couple of small cuts around 2.5kHz and 5kHz would control some slightly harsh tones. A small high shelf boost in the top octave would increase the brightness too. Finally, a light compressor/limiter and maybe ~3dB of make-up gain would add extra warmth as well and raising the overall volume.
Final thoughts
Lord Sonny The Unifer is creative and quirky. This is post-punk psychedelia at its very best! We’re looking forward to hearing more.