Toxic Boy
Long Beach, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014
Music
Press
In anticipation of the release of the full-length album Troubled on Wiener Records, Long Beach troubadour Toxic Boy gives us a preview of the album with the eponymous title track. “Troubled” sees a shift for Toxic Boy, trading in a less gritty and garbled sound for an Eddie Vedder inspired jam rife with sprawling guitarwork courtesy of Los Angelino Troy Ambroff (Toxic Boy front man Andy Groke is responsible for the rest of the instrumentation.) Blending audio clips from cult classic SLC Punk, Groke paves an introduction to a classic case of alternative misunderstood pseudo-slacker blues. “Troubled” rages like a track from the Vitalogy cutting room floor, too acerbic for proper release yet perfect for a live rendition. Luckily, Toxic Boy faces no problems of potential offense – “Troubled” is easily the best possible direction Groke could take his project after a fine smattering of songs on the Toxic Boy EP.
However, the “slacker” part of Groke’s “Troubled” genre may be an enormous misnomer for what is a burgeoning debut. After winning the vote to perform the Jam In The Van contest at SXSW in March, Groke has been working steadfast to release more content as Toxic Boy, a veritable Father John Misty type, albeit of the Long Beach-Jameson loving, surf rat, hung over again persuasion. Additionally, Groke’s recent ties to Wiener records have scored him a release in August on digital format and cassette. Toxic Boy will be performing at the first annual Schlitz-A-Palooza hosted at Van Nuy’s Beer City Studios. He may be troubled, but he’s working at the damnation mighty hard.
Toxic Boy’s release on Wiener Records will be available in early August. - Moxipop
With bare-bones guitar and meticulously haunting production, Southern California’s Toxic Boy is becoming a Bandcamp favorite (and a top 5 finalist in SXSW’s Jam In The Van contest.) Toxic Boy’s first single from the forthcoming Acoustic Tapes, “Hungover Again” is the aftermath of Jameson-fueled discourse with nihilism; a minimalist’s plea the morning after a night of forgetting to appreciate some meaning new found meaning.
Reminiscent of early Eels, Southern California guitarist/singer Andy Groke channels both a survivalist songwriter mentality while still ever-so-slightly edging back into a garage-rock oeuvre.
Toxic Boy doesn’t make the case for pity. Rather, Groke asks for 2 more fingers of bourbon and cause to reflect. If that’s toxic, let’s have more of it. Toxic Boy can be found on Bandcamp at toxicboymusic.bandcamp.com (Voting for Toxic Boy in SXSW’s Jam In Van contest can be found here Through March 8.) - Moxipop
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Toxic Boy was created in early 2015 by singer, multi-instrumentalist Andy Groke after needing a new outlet to produce art and music. Formerly a guitar player in the Southern California based band, Sounds of Solidarity, Andy decided to go a different direction with his new project and start creating sounds from his blues, folk, garage, and indie rock influences like Wilco, Eddie Vedder, and Neil Young. Toxic Boy began with the intention of putting out an acoustic EP, completely recorded in an LA apartment, and seeing where things go. Mostly recording all the instrumentation and vocals himself, Andy has created a very unique sound that can't quite be pigeon-holed into one genre.
Not even two weeks after the release of the first single Hungover Again, that unique Toxic Boy sound was selected to head to SXSW for a Jam in the Van artist showcase in Austin,TX. Soon after, the Acoustic EP was released and continued to be circulated and landed Toxic Boy a debut cassette release on Wiener Records, set to be released in August 2015.
Toxic Boy has now become somewhat of a persona for Andy. Toxic Boy is a spirit that can be used as an outlet to express deep emotion and wide array of personal subject from inner demons to universal questions and personal frustrations that are harnessed into emotional blues and folk tracks and slacker anthems. Keep an eye out for Toxic Boy, weather it be a small acoustic show, or an intense electrified rock experience. With relentless intent to continue putting out well planned rock n roll, it has been made very clear that he is not going anywhere.
Band Members
Links