The Mojomatics - Don't Pretend That You Know Me

I’m really sorry, readers. I feel compelled to commit a breach in album-review etiquette. Under normal circumstances, I should start with a little info about the band and their new album. Then I’d throw some flighty adjectives around about the orchestration of three or four of their songs. At some point I’d probably discuss the emotions evoked by the album upon the listener. THEN I’d give you my final summation.

Screw that. Here it is: this album is Fucking Amazing. Capital ‘F’, capital ‘A’. Before I go on (buy the record here) …NOW.

You haven’t heard of ‘em, and now’s the time to fix that. The Mojomatics are based in Venice (yes, THAT Venice). They released their 2^nd full-length album, Don’t Pretend That You Know Me, back in September of this year. What blows me away (even more than the album itself) is they haven’t received the trans-Atlantic press coverage they really deserve, if this is the typical end-product they offer.

Honestly, after seeing the unfortunate name of the band, I almost tossed the album out. But I’m a sucker for aesthetics, and paired with the album was a YouTube link to the official video for their single “Wait a While.” About 6 notes into the song, I was sold. And believe me, those 6 notes came fast. Get this—the entire song clocks in at 1:53. Guitar and vocalist MojoMatt shifts his minor-chords into 5^th gear, while drummer DavMatic is certainly getting his Lira’s worth out of that snare head. Or do they use Euros now? Whatever.



I literally broke a sweat listening to “Wait a While.” I played it 6 times in a row. Of course, I decided to forgo the band’s cheesy moniker and give the whole album a listen. Make that three listens. Of the 12-song tracklist, nary a song disappoints. Most songs share the let’s-get-the-fuck-out-of-here pace of “Wait a While,” including “You Are Not Me (Fortunately).” This track plays like a salute to fallen British pop heroes, with plenty of middle-finger to go around. A similar feel permeates throughout the opening track, “Miss Me When I’m Gone,” and is smeared with an infectious layer harmonica. “Stars Above” dumbfounds me; how exactly did two Italian gentlemen become masters of that alt-country twang? The forsaken backbeat, the galloping drums… makes me feel like one of the Duke Boys running from Boss Hogg.

The Mojomatics tinker in about a dozen different genres, often combining them in the same song. Maybe that’s their marketing downfall: how exactly do you classify these guys? Compare them to whomever you want, but it won’t fit. It’s like the Easter Bunny took every style of music I love—garage, bluegrass, soul, punk and alt-country, etc.—and crammed them into two fine-tailored suits.

If only they knew old-school electro.

The Mojomatics - Wait A While
The Mojomatics - Clean My Sins
The Mojomatics - Miss Me When I'm Gone

-Mikey