Tweed has toured relentlessly throughout the East Coast over the past several years, and on Friday the genre-blending quintet released Moves, the band’s debut, full-length album.
Tweed is AJ DiBiase (guitar/vocals), Joe Vela (drums/samples), Jon Tomczak (synth/vocals), Dan McDonald (bass/vocals), and Charlie Field (violin/percussion/guitar/vocals), and together they form a fusion of disco, indie rock, and electronica hell-bent on bringing a high-energy dance party everywhere they go.
Recorded at Brooksound Studios in New Jersey, produced by studio owner Jeff Mahajan, and mastered by Papadosio‘s Anthony Thogmartin, the new Moves LP delivers some serious jams. The band delves not only into deep sonic space, but also show a lighter, more playful side, as well. “Moves”, the title and lead track, highlights this dichotomy well.
A deep, reverberating bassline from McDonald sets the tone for a Vela breakbeat, culminating in a driving rhythm section that supports the rest of the band’s melodies. On its face, “Moves” is a disco anthem, complete with uplifting vocal melodies and excellent synth work. Combine it with the official music video, which the band released last fall, and it paints a complete picture of the group: top-notch musical ability with a whimsical demeanor and penchant for silliness.
“If you haven’t seen the Moves music video yet, you are missing out on some of our finest booty-shorts work to date,” Vela said in a statement.
Heed his advice and watch the music video below. It would, no doubt, make Richard Simmons proud.
Tweed – “Moves” – (Official Music Video)
[Video: Tweed]
Track two of Moves is “Leap of Faith”, which Tweed released as a single in February of 2020. Again, soaring vocals sit at the forefront, but don’t drown out the multi-layered melodies and synthesized soundscapes. McDonald’s bass is once again prominent and a driving force as the song’s short, yet deep jam section takes over. Overdriven guitar aids the band in moving back towards the chorus before the track ends, and “El Sucio Grande” comes in.
“El Sucio Grande (The Big Dirty)”, which the band initially shared as a single back in 2018, featured Lotus‘ Jesse Miller and reached as high as #30 on jam band charts upon release. The funk and disco-inspired track flows at a moderate pace, complete with the vocal harmonies and layered melodies that have begun to define the album. The party anthem takes a turn halfway through with a dark and dirty breakdown that features grumbling wubs and dubs, à la Magnetic Man. Check out the official, party-starting music video below.
Tweed – “El Sucio Grande” – (Official Music Video)
[Video: Tweed]
“Remember, You Forgot” brings the tempo down without sacrificing energy or emotion. An inspirational track about moving on from past struggles, “RYF” takes a short break from the hard-partying themes that dominate the album, highlighting another tool in the band’s toolbox. Its leisurely tempo made this writer unprepared for what was to come next.
If Muse, Black Sun Empire, and the Bee Gees somehow had a baby that took an interest in electro, it would write the next song, “Feargasm”. While that child might not be pleasing on the eyes, it would create an auditory experience worth mention. The spirited tempo is a change of pace from “RYF” and blends several different genres into one powerful track. From the very beginning, “Feargasm” drives the listener through a futuristic soundscape reminiscent of TRON. The ascending melodies from the synthesizer accelerate this sonic vehicle forward into a blistering guitar solo before a popping bassline takes the song to a mighty end, like the feeling of escaping a seemingly inescapable death.
The lyrical interplay between the following two songs, “Perfectly Aware” and “Creature Of Habit”, in this writer’s opinion, must be taken together. Musically, both songs also stray slightly away from the electro vibes that surface during many of the first five songs, and also show a steady decrease in tempo from “Feargasm”. Together, they set-up the album’s final track, “Save Yourself”, a steady-paced, vocally pleasing conclusion to the record. Field’s violin work is commanding and settles in entirely over reverberating electro basslines.
After much anticipation, Moves is finally available to purchase and stream. Three years of work has made Moves the stepping stone for a band that seeks to cement itself as a mainstay in the jamtronica genre.
“I am thrilled to finally get it out there for our listeners,” Vela said. “I’m really proud of these tracks and the direction we’ve been going the last year,” he continued, reflecting on the band’s growth.
Listen to Tweed’s debut album, Moves, below.
Tweed – Moves
Tweed has several upcoming tour dates throughout the spring and summer, including shows at Sprout Music Collective in West Chester, PA (3/27); Lost Lake in Denver, CO (4/19); and Bowery Electric in New York, NY (4/30). Additionally, due to recent show postponements, Tweed has announced a live stream from the Spruce Media HQ tomorrow (3/14), in celebration of the album’s release. Click here to watch when the stream goes live at 8:30 p.m. ET. The band will also host SENSORiUM 2020, a single-day festival in Philadelphia, PA on August 22nd. Scroll down for a complete list of tour dates and visit the band’s website for tickets and more information.
