Single-Minded
New singles from Gregory McLoughlin, Widely Grown, Bist, Doctor Mister Genius Maxcito, and Sammy Mellman
GREGORY McLOUGHLIN - “Mr. Businessman” (YouTube.)
This December, Hoboken’s Singing Bassist, Mr. Gregory McLoughlin, will unleash a new album on the world. Until then, we’ve got this single, a bouncy bit of Americana about the businessman who got the Johnstown Flood wrong. Catchy and upbeat on the surface, with Greg’s heartfelt and robust vocal, listen carefully and you’ll hear a sharp denunciation of age-old issues like class warfare and wealth inequality in America. A stinging guitar solo from Max “Blood & Sound” Feinstein and John Rocessano’s groovy backbeat elevate the track to something special, while David Ribyat’s rhythm guitar provides a foundation for McLoughlin’s thumping bass.
Watch it here!
WIDELY GROWN – “No More Money” (Streaming)
Recorded live at Boonton’s Pine Box, this track from one of Jersey’s premier jam bands, Widely Grown, showcases the band’s knack for finding a comfy groove. The music here’s a mix of funky Americana redolent of The Band and the Dead, with Justin Garcia, Brendan Daily, Dave DeRiso and Martin Schmid on the instruments. It’s James Calleo’s lead vocal that sells the track, though. I’ve been a fan and a follower for a while, but seeing Calleo perform Dylan’s Nebraska album recently in Hoboken really opened my eyes to this guy’s talent. You can hear it here too: confident but relaxed, supple but funky, as comforting and cozy as your favorite sweater on a chilly night.
BIST – “Headphones” (Self-released)
“Headphones” has an intro, an outro, and a frenetic middle part that captures the live energy of this Hudson County teen trio. Guitarist/vocalist Greg Reyes Jr. has more than a little emo in his delivery, pouring his heart and soul into every syllable, with Jade Recio’s bass and Joaquin Narucki’s drumming providing a pummeling, frenetic bottom. The roiling off-kilter rhythms and slice-and-dice guitar invoke punk icons like Husker Du and the Minutemen while still sounding fresh and current.
DOCTOR MISTER GENIUS – “100 Years” (doctormistergenius.com)
This quartet of Hudson County mainstays - Bill Hamilton (Davey Is A Trainwreck, Nipsey) on vocals and guitar, David Ribyat (Las Vandelays) on guitar and keys, Jonathan “JP” Pepe (Partyline, The Cliffhangers) on bass, and Chuck Tumulty (Papermaker, Psych-O-Positive) on drums - drop a spooky Halloween single (which, my bad, wasn’t reviewed before it was released at a gala costume party at Bill’s Space Loft.) But, as someone once said, the song remains the same, and it’s the first of three planned Holiday singles. This Classic Rock banger is no mere novelty song like “Monster Mash,” but a deft and soulful track delving into Sixties psychedelia, with an impressive guitar solo, Hamilton’s strong lead vocal, and a dark, moody melody.
MAXCITO - “Welcome” (maxcito.com)
Max Biaggio, who performs as Maxcito, has been releasing a single a month in 2025, each infused with his signature quavery vocals, full-bodied arrangements, and Latin funk. While not a love song, “Welcome” swells with passion, as it describes the hurdles faced by a new arrival in the city. “And armed with only hopes and dreams /Arrives to the city that never sleeps / Takes a chance to believe And armed with only, arm with only hopes and dreams.”
”It’s a song about the immigrant experience, moving from either another state or country to a big city that someone would migrate for a better life,” said Maxcito. “This happens internationally, nationally and locally. Although it’s about NYC for me and for many people around here, I’ve learned that it happens all over the country and the world.”
“Pity the poor immigrant,” Bob Dylan sang decades today, and today, that experience - especially in light of current events - often transforms from a dream into a nightmare. Maxcito has captured that journey in music that both dances through your mind and moves your soul.
SAMMY MELLMAN - “Bird Flew” (Bandcamp)
I’ve been seeing this guy’s name on gig flyers for a while now, so when he reached out and sent me his new single, I was intrigued. Now, maybe it’s the name - kinda sounds like a Borscht Belt comic, no? - but I wasn’t expecting this lilting ballad that treads the line between traditional folk and soft jazz, infused with horns and washes of warm synths and guitars. An accomplished trombonist as well as multi-instrumentalist, Mellman teaches Montclair high-schoolers music by day and creates these bedroom-pop symphonies at night. Color me impressed. He is clearly an artist with much to offer: a voice to die for, polished musicianship, sophisticated songwriting chops, and production finesse. Who said that those that can’t do, teach? Baloney!