Artist description The Commons' music has been called "powerful, energetic, melodic and emotional with lyrics that reveal moody introspection,highlighted by a angelic soundscape of destructive grace."

Music Style Alternative Rock/Rock

Musical Influences Kristin Hersh, Bruce Springsteen, Nick Drake, The Sundays, Kurt Cobain, Pink Floyd, Blur, Slayer, The Who and Luna to name a few

Artist History In 1999, after enjoying a very successful run with his band The Semibeings, front man and guitarist Keith Monacchio decided to part ways with his former bandmates. Together since 1991, The Semibeings released three major albums: "Sickness and Health" on ShimmyDisc Records, "Three Pawns Standing" on C/Z Records, and "The Semibeings Are Bums" also on C/Z. It was agreed that the band had run its course, but with that end there was a new beginning. It wasn't long before Monacchio began to assemble local musicians to begin recording his first album away from The Semibeings. Recorded at S.S. Sound Studios in Trenton, New Jersey, the tracks featured longtime former Semibeing member Tom McDonald on bass, Sean Glonek (formerly of Trench and Shinebox) on lead guitar, and Tom Kale (formerly of Lucinda Bright) on drums. The end product, Anchor, was released in the spring of 2000 garnering favorable reviews locally and regionally while pushing the studio project in becoming a full-time working band. Upon completion of Anchor, the appropriately named Keith Monacchio Group performed vigorously over the next ten months logging over sixty shows and earning them a nomination for the top alternative act at the 2000 Asbury Park Music Awards. In the summer of 2000, as tracking for their second album began, the four members collectively agreed to change their name to The Commons and released a four-song EP in the fall of the same year. The EP gave the band their best reviews to date and the reputation of their powerful live shows gained further attention along with college radio airplay of the EP. As recording continued throughout the winter and spring of 2001, the band was contacted by Red Bank, New Jersey's Cinecall Soundtracks and offered to include a song in the upcoming Fiesty Film Productions movie "Just Lovers." The single "Snake Charmer" will be on the film's soundtrack to be released in late fall of 2001 on Ratamacue Records. With recording and production now complete, the second album Eat Off The Vines is scheduled for release in the fall of 2001. Recorded at S.S. Sound Studios and Hole In The Wall Studios, both in Trenton, New Jersey, the album was produced by The Commons and engineered by John Bailey and Brian Schwinn. Legendary sound engineer Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk in New York City handled mastering of the disk.

Group Members The Commons are Keith Monacchio: vocals, guitar, piano--Sean Glonek: lead guitar--Tom McDonald: bass guitar--Tom Kale: drums & percussion

Instruments Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums

Press Reviews NOTHING COMMON ABOUT THE COMMONS (4-SONG EP) Helmed by the guiding light behind late, great C/Z artists, the Semi-Beings, the intense, quirkily charged vocals and urgent, do-or-die delivery of songwriter/guitarist Keith Monacchio is underscored by searing barbs of string-twistin' beauty and a brutal rhythmic pulse that drives these deep, emotionally charged aural confessions until they collapse in a sweaty, self-loathing climax on the painfully aware "The Commons." Radio-ready, Bob Mould-Pixies-Buffalo Tom-ish angst-pop with real substance as performed by a tight, experienced, visually riveting four-piece? Contract, please!--Al Muzer, The Aquarian********The Commons are a rip-roaring, powerhouse quartet fronted by Keith Monacchio, who is also the chief songwriter and guitarist. After some stints with other bands and as an acoustic act, Monacchio has finally assembled some mighty fine players who bring his songs to life. The sound is full of high energy and brings back shades of those great eighties alternative bands like Husker Du, The Jam, and any Seattle band that didn't make it before Nirvana and Pearl Jam. They really blew me away at the 2000 Dogs of War at the Broadway Central Cafe in South Amboy--David Gorsky, NJ Coast News, January, 2001********With the release of their 4-song CD sampler, Monacchio brings and explosive pro unit to the table. Singing with raspy heart and a graceful force that's just a sample of his yowls yet to come, as one of their best live tunes from this sampler, "The Commons" captures Monacchio at his vocally emotional best, moaning and wailing rings around the song's thematic intro in a jamming to moody look back on love in the guy's incomparable big round style. Boasting a most hard-to-pigeonhole vocal attack, The Commons as a unit also show their strength in shifting style and dynamics in a breath, as on the anguished vocal tones and surging mix of "Mini-War, " where Keith drives that 'big train' through past and present conflicts, while the band's orchestral touches add signature spark to this bluesy suite-like rocker. Also dug the loping blues crunch of psycho-jamming tear-up "Cool Fool," where Keith seems to lampoon and celebrate himself simultaneously, in alternating howls and moans, which add to this band's built-in sense of anticipation that seems layered into every tune. I was also intrigued by the gradually building funk-vamping urgency of "Fall," as the song's Graham Parker-tinged arrangements and jazz-punk flavor that's clustered around the K-Man's no frills angst just spell Killer FM potential here. Monacchio also plays guitar and piano, and seems blessed with a natural knack for arrangement; In other words, this guy ain't pretty, he doesn't look or swagger like a rock star, never has, but he connects with you on the same ballsy to sensitive guy level and that's part of his seminal Everyman appeal--Chris Barry, Shore World********

Location Trenton, New Jersey - USA

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