On February 23rd, We Are Band Nerds released their album entitled “Forget Me Nots” via Pavement Entertainment. Be honest, this kind of slipped through the cracks until I happened to stumble across Lost In Vegas’s reaction YouTube video to their song entitled “Whore”, and We Are Band Nerds are helping solidify the recent resurgence of that rap/rock nu-metal sound!
We Are Band Nerds are composed of Brandon Cross on hip-hop vocals, Tony Lucas on hip-hop vocals, Dorian Thomas on guitars, Carlos Juarez as DJ sampler, Stephen Bonilla on drums, and Santos Johnson on bass. They have created an amazing fusion of Deftones inspired rock, mixed with the early hip hop rock stylings of N.E.R.D., which gave hip-hop mogul Pharrell Williams his jumpstart to his illustrious career.
First of all, this band is unique. We Are Band Nerds certainly has the music stylings of a band like the Deftones in terms of the guitar riffs and guitar tones in the music and when they sing, you can tell that they are heavily influenced by the band as a whole, case in point in the chorus “Fake In You”, which has that atmospheric chorus, however Carlos Juarez allows the listener to peel away another layer of We Are Band Nerds with his ambiance in his DJ and sampling work that really fits the music like a glove. The vocal tradeoffs between Brandon Cross and Tony Lucas play a significant role in showcasing the many influences of We Are Band Nerds.
The wordplay in “Dreamer”, showcases their love for certain bands such as Nirvana, Eminem, Limp Bizkit, and Slipknot. Case in point, they pay homage to Kurt Cobain about intertwining their love for Nirvana and their love for climbing to the mountaintop of the music industry by tying in Nirvana with the deodorant Teen Spirit, which is obviously a play-on words of Nirvana’s song “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. In the song “Savage”, there is a brief homage to the song “Nookie” by Limp Bizkit as they break into the chorus, which showcases not only their lyricism and wordplay, but at times they have a tongue-in-cheek approach to their music while tackling on serious subjects.
In a strange roundabout way, they talk about the purity of relationships and how we shouldn’t be involved in “friends with benefits” types of relationships in their song “Whore”. They also talk about issues facing minorities in America, while discussing racism and poverty in relationships in their songs. The bass is absolutely grooving, the guitar tones are disgusting, and the vocals provide a uniqueness in We Are Band Nerds that haven’t been seen in a good while.
Go pick up “Forget Me Nots” by We Are Band Nerds whereever music is sold. With this, expect an unpredictable fusion of music while having a social consciousness about it, this band has a way of bringing in the listener like a freshly caught catfish with that delectable Cajun seasoning. Madness To Creation rates this album a 9 out of 10 stars, this will stay on my playlist for a good while. Check out the track listing below!
- Hunger Games
- Whore
- Fake In You
- Dreamer
- Under Water
- American Trash
- Hagel Trumpf
- Savage
- Fade Away
We Are Band Nerds have some tour dates coming up. Check out the tour dates below.
Friday, March 30th- Shipping & Receiving Bar in Fort Worth, Texas
Friday, April 20th- Club Dada Show in Dallas, Texas
Saturday, April 21st- The Railhead Saloon in Lawton, Oklahoma (w/Nightschool Ninjas)
Check them out on their Midwest tour with Pigweed!
Friday, April 27th- Ricochet Bar in Jackson, Tennessee (w/Pigweed)
Saturday, April 28th- Brewskee’s Sports Bar & Grill in Louisville, Kentucky (w/Pigweed)
Sunday, April 29th- Twisted Spoke in Pekin, Illinois (w/Pigweed)
Wednesday, May 2nd- Cheers Pub in South Bend, Indiana
Thursday, May 3rd- Hot Rock Sports Bar & Music in Warren, Michigan
Friday, May 4th- BoJak’s Bar & Grille in Franklin, Indiana
Saturday, May 5th- The Looney Bin in Bradley, Illinois
Sunday, May 6th- Mac’s Bar in Lansing, Michigan
Saturday, June 16th- Gabby Doo Saloon in Odessa, Texas
For tickets and further information for any of the shows listed above, click here!
Find We Are Band Nerds at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/wearebandnerds
Rock on Band Nerds ,been an admirer of the accomplishments from the Beginning and shall remain a number one Fan ,A Father with a Legacy of Flavour.
Pop’s Howard Cross 😎