Smooch is a hard band to label. Literally. They only use the Smooch moniker for their cover music. The name they like to use for their original material? Well, that's yet to be decided. Smooch (or whatever the band goes by) is made up of four seniors-guitarist Will Arnold, singer and guitarist Peter More, drummer Edward Wardle, vocalist Eric Griffin-and one Duke grad, bassist Julian Dawes, Trinity '07.
Smooch came together early last year after Wardle and More decided to form a band while studying abroad. Upon returning stateside, More and Wardle turned to their friends to fill out the group's roster. Over the following months, the spots gradually filled up and, eventually, Smooch was born. Though they've only been playing together for about a year now, the band has had no trouble integrating its members various musical influences.
Aside from just figuring out their name, it's equally difficult to classify Smooch and The Big Hug into any one musical genre. With members from Texas, California, Mississippi, Tennessee and New Jersey, their musical flexibility accurately reflects their geographic diversity. Their influences are drawn from an eclectic blend of innovators, including Bob Dylan, Wilco, Bob Marley, Common, Outkast and even R. Kelly. Above all, they cite the hybrid sounds of the Gorillaz and the Roots as the inspiration for their own mix of rap and rock.
Their debut EP, Pentimento, showcases addictively enjoyable tracks such as the fast-paced "Open Your Mind," a fitting title that could easily be the band's motto. Their songs range from bluegrass ("Waiting On My Patience") to rock ("Tori Argentina") and eventually delve into a form of self-conscious, infectious pop ("Backseat Baby"). Many of their tracks are infused with Griffin's rap lyrics, which can be both energetic ("Pick A Side") and reflective ("All This Time").
Even more striking is their collection of covers, which reveals how the band enjoys playing the music of their favorite artists just as much as their own work. Smooch is not afraid to cross genres, decades and even language barriers in order to cover the songs they like most. Aside from playing the unexpected mix of Kings of Leon and the Fugees, their rendition of Manu Chao's "Clandestino" ranks amongst their most passionate crowd pleasers. Most importantly, Smooch takes pride in their musical diversity and the atmosphere of their live shows.
"One of our favorite parts about playing is seeing the crowd's response to our music," Arnold said.
"Our goal is to get people dancing and moving," added bassist Julian Dawes.
Their fans seem to agree. Senior Tyson Pinnell described a Smooch show as one that has "great energy."
"They don't just use one genre, and there are always people dancing," he added.
All this has helped the group build quite a reputation-and quite a fan base. Smooch frequently plays many shows a week, going long into the night in front of packed crowds.
"They stayed until 4:30 [to] 5 in the morning," senior Nona Farahnik said of a recent show. "They're pretty impressive."
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