Nyack duo ShwizZ slams you against the blackboard in awe that all your basic math skills have fleeted. Not only does ShwizZ explore a multi-level, mixed-meter halfway house of genres, but also bulldoze your ear to the other end of the record collection with their latest Big Things. No algorithm can compute this formula. Not from two people.
It’s hard to believe Big Things can lead you through all eight compositions without losing sight of what’s ahead. Something doesn’t add up. The duo – Ryan Liatsis and Andy Boxer – stab you with the sharp pain of “Splinter,” opening with an off the cuff funk tag. The tune walks on with staccato chunks of its bassline before Liatsis shoots out jarring guitar pads.
These guys look bored amid a musical Mortal Kombat where nobody breaks a sweat. Boxer is collected behind the kit, unleashing cool six-stroke rolls and collapsing tom fills in-between Liatsis’ ever-changing soundscape. Liatsis begins to crack a smile as he waves through his solo, far beyond the musical speed-limit. Boxer listens and instigates. The strings are not phased.
The albums second track “Khoi Khoi,” aides to more textured side of the duo. They explore a more mysterious side of scale that is oddly cathartic. That is until you’re stunned unexpectedly from your dream.
ShwizZ gets creative with “Your Call is Very Important Us,” in a meter that seemingly races ahead of the ear. Boxer’s cymbal work is airy and effortlessly hangs with Liatsis on Guitar. The meter does not exist.
There is no explaining how ironically calming this journey is. It’s the movie you can’t watch but inch closer to the screen. Liatsis has you on the hook with these roaring solos never loosing sight of the songs motif.
An album favorite for the die hard rocker is “The Shwizzard.” A chunky lead and solid back beat make the track stand out gritty. Liatsis shoves the lead right in your face. The track embarks on short epics with classic rock feel.
New York State’s theme of a “hearing aide” is unmasked by ShwizZ and their June release of Big Things. The album tunes the ears of the most complex listener and holds them to a higher standard.
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