The Beastie Boys. At the Drive In. Fugazi. Red Hot Chili Peppers. Illimanjaro?
It just may be that the annals of great punk/rage/rap has a new member. Illimanjaro bring incredible energy and musicianship to their brand of power trio punk–whether it’s the dub “Twisted Babe†(reminiscent of Sublime’s trippier numbers) or the streetwriter anthem “Feel My Graffit†(recalling Rage Against the Machine in sound, if not in lyrical content) the band is showing chops I rarely see in a self-produced, unknown and unsigned band.
The group is young and clear has a lot of kinks to work out. Most noticeably, singer Noah Penn needs to work on connecting his flow to the beat when he’s
rapping, and on his vocal range on slower songs. (A female singer identified as “The Shells†provides a much-needed respite on track 6.) The band also needs an editor, because none of its songs need to creep over the six-and-a-half-minute mark. But despite these flaws, the Astoria, Queens group shows amazing potential. For one thing, when was the last time you heard a punk song have a long, freeform jazz break?
These guys are true originals who need a skilled producer or manager to shape their sound. I’d say that’s the only thing standing between them and stardom. Hopefully, this is the start of their big break.
