Demophonic Blues

Tony C. and the Truth

Lava Records

Recommended if you…

Demophonic Blues

Tony C. and the Truth

Lava Records

Recommended if you like: Keanu Reeves’ acting

Picture action movie star Vin Diesel singing in a band with what looks like a 2004 version of the New Kids on the Block and you’ve got Tony C. and the Truth, an up-and-coming rock ‘n’ roll band from upstate New York.

Their first release, Demophonic Blues, is a strange mix of rock, hip-hop, blues and funk. The disc has a blue-collar feel, and seems like it could be background noise to every seedy bar and club in America.

The most noticeable thing about the group is lead singer Tony’s harsh voice. According to a Lava Records press release, Tony’s husky voice is “easily recognizable from years of smoking Lucky Strike unfiltered cigarettes.” If that’s the case, maybe Tony should’ve thought about using the NicoDerm CQ patch years ago. Some singers, like Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, can use their gruff voices to the advantage of their music. In Tony’s case, however, his husky voice is a disadvantage. Listening to Tony sing is like suffering a hangover — both are truly nauseating experiences.

Musically, the band shows potential. Guitar players Jason Moscartolo and Patrick Halley work well together. Some of their best playing appears on the track “Gravity,” probably the only track on the disc worth listening to all the way through.

One thing the band could do without, besides Tony, is DJ Prestige. His scratching appears on only a few tracks, which is for the best. The scratching in “Someday” sounds like a spastic toddler did it.

The disc might be more bearable had Tony C. and the Truth not chosen to cover — no, murder — the Beastie Boys’ mega-hit, “Fight For Your Right (To Party)”. The band’s Web site, www.tonycandthetruth.com, says “Fight For Your Right” is the “kicker” of Demophonic Blues.

Well, the truth is, you’ve been lied to.