Nox Boys’ debut flashes talent, struggles with immaturity

Nox Boys

Nox Boys

Grade: B-

Sounds like: A promising band that has a little growing up to do

In its debut self-titled album, local band Nox Boys provides a lot of what you would expect from a teenage garage band, along with some pleasant surprises.

The most pleasant surprise on the album is the slide guitar work of veteran musician Bob Powers, a staple in the Pittsburgh music scene. Powers was a frequent sideman for Pittsburgh guitar hero Warren King, so he sure knows the ropes on the local circuit. When he met current Nox Boys singer Zack Keim at an open mic night in Blawnox, Pa., the two formed a duo. Their Blawnox roots later formed the inspiration for the band name. With the addition of Powers’ nephew Sam Berman on drums and Zach Stadtlander on bass, the quartet known as Nox Boys was formed.

Powers is the life of the group and brings the most exciting ingredient to the table with his nifty slide guitar licks, but the band is talented up front. Keim has an impressive voice with a nice range, and is at his best on “Desperate Girl” and “Mr. No One.”

The level of musicianship is quite high, especially for three high school kids from Fox Chapel, Pa. That isn’t to say, however, that there aren’t plenty of garage band moments on the album. Minutes and even whole songs of playing beyond their years are mixed in with predictable sections of immature lyrics, loud crash cymbals and power chords. Powers is always there to cover up when the boys aren’t at their best, though, so some of the amateur songwriting can be overlooked.

“Desperate Girl,” though it provides a good sampling of Keim’s strong voice and Powers’ groovy guitar work, is a questionable choice to lead off the album. The post-high-school listener who is looking for something more than a young Ramones knock-off may be a bit disappointed — which would be a shame, because the album has much more to offer. It feels like a mid-record filler track, something a listener might get into after hearing “Military School,” or “Susie Lee.”

But if “Desperate Girl” sounds young and inexperienced, the lyrics of “Military School” are young and unforgettable. This is one of the most memorable tracks on the album, second only to “Susie Lee.” The track was inspired by former band member David Weaver, the original bass player for Nox Boys, who left to go to military school. The song is a true head-banger, with an electrifying main riff provided by Powers and a funny story told by Keim about a boy who was sent back to military school. “Daddy oh why you doin’ this to me?/ You’re sendin’ me on back to that ol’ regime,” he sings in one of the album’s most unforgettable lines.

“Susie Lee” is the most complete and entertaining track, a true gem from this young group. Stadtlander lays down a smooth bass line for the intro, and the rest of the band eventually explodes into a light, electric melody that makes you want to skip down the street — unless you have a girl that treats you as bad as Susie Lee treats the song’s protagonist.

Lyrically, the group needs to expand its horizons a bit on its second album. Too many songs are about the same thing — a girl that doesn’t treat you right. “The Witch” is the prime example of such a song, with its crashing power-chord intro and dark, ominous lyrics. On the bright side, Keim shows a more obscure dimension of his voice, as he dips down to touch some lower, minor-sounding notes on the outro.

Especially when taking into account the youth of most of the band, it is apparent that Nox Boys has something to offer. The boys’ next release should be much anticipated by all, and it will likely fall on a much higher creative plateau.