 One listen to the Cynic Guru track "Scab", and I was hooked. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that frontman Roland Hartwell Jr. knows his craft well, engineering his music with well-placed hooks that makes the listener think: I know this melody. Well, you don't actually know the melody; the song is just written so proficiently that every element of it makes sense. Hartwell's vocals are wonderfully smooth and dynamic. The songs cover a wide array of subjects, but in the case of Scab, the theme is "bad relationship", but instead of the you-did-me-wrong-self-pity anthem, Hartwell twists the situation to demonstrate a strong will - metaphorically equating the subject person to a scab. Wordplay rules here, with the ending line "Now you're a scab, and when I heal you're going to fall off."
So, who is Roland Hartwell Jr.? Hartwell is a classical violinist who played in Iceland's symphony, returning to his home in California to complete college studies after two years. There, the seeds of what would become Cynic Guru were planted. The band has played most of the Hollywood club circuit, including Club Lingerie, Molly Malone's, Largo Café, The Whisky A Go Go, The Roxy, and The Coconut Teaszer. Currently, the band performs almost exclusively at The Coconut Teaszer in Hollywood.
In addition to his work with Cynic Guru, Hartwell has other side projects on the go, one of which involves a heavier melding of Hiphop, Rock and Industrial that goes by the name of Skanky Ranky Doo.
Recommended Tracks: Scab, Lolalots, Yellow Bag, and Over.
In his own words: "When we started, we were playing for my parents and maybe two other people. Now we are still playing for my parents, but with a lot of other people standing around them."
Telephone Interview with Roland Hartwell of Cynic Guru:
Streaming mp3 format:
LoFi mp3 stream
HiFi mp3 stream
Download the 128kbps interview in mp3 format
Available Artist Related Customizations from Deviant Art:
Cynic Guru Sonique Skin
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