Strong Maybe: Rona

Strong Maybe, a trio from Ithaca, NT, play "mostly-improvised psychotic cartoon animal music". In other words: anything goes, as long as it is fun. Their new album Rona is left of left-field, filled with a wealth of electric and eclectic ideas, the kind of stuff that either would have infuriated their former music school teachers or have had them pass with flying colours back in the day. Mark Karlsen, Chad Lieberman and Matt Saccuccimorano are familiar with all the "rules", but writing your own is much more fun. Using elements of free jazz, funk, avant-garde, surf and much, much more they go in at the deep end for a journey without using a map (or roads for that matter).

They revive old school Sci-Fi sound effects, drop in a blink-and-you'll miss-it classical music quote and catch a salsa dancer in mid-step. Listening Rona is like enjoying all the rides of amusement park at once. Don't forget to wave at the guest players from the New York state music scene as you come flying by. Fellow mavericks drummer Willie B, singer and guitarist Johnny Dowd, jazz trumpet player Bobby Spellman, electric cellist Hank Roberts and singer Bronwen Exter were invited to play whatever the fuck they wanted, with ace results. Free-flowing freaky stuff that will clear the room within a few minutes, leaving a small faction giggling and enjoying themselves immensely.

Strong Maybe:
Mark Karlsen: saxophones, flutes, whistles.
Chad Lieberman: synthesizers, a little piano
Matt Saccuccimorano: drums, marimba, and Manhasset music stand

Rona is a self-released album. Buy it from their website. Tracks:

1. One of Us (feat. Willie B)
2. It Didn't Work
3. Afternoon Spray
4. Thom Sayers
5. Creator of Magnitude
6. Canary
7. Shoelaces
8. Hat and Beard (and Mask) (feat. Bobby Spellman)
9. Puppy From Another Planet (feat. Hank Roberts)
10. Fat Saturday
11. Her Majesty
12. Pitchfork Pranfk
13. Closerlude
14. I AM OMICRON
15. Lunacy at the Fiasco
16. Hillbilly Music (feat. Johnny Dowd)
17. Can You Take a Break Now? Can You Be Done?
18. The Day Is Getting Closer (feat. Bronwen Exter)

» strongmaybemusic.com