[SXSW Interview] The Tontons, Well on Their Way
Photography by Andrew Zeiter
Back in November I was in Austin for a different festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest, where I first met Asli Omar and the guys from The Tontons. At the time, the four piece blues-y rock group from Houston was riding a wave of publicity en route to their breakthrough project, Make Out King and Other Love Stories, a harrowing 11-song project that puts forward the young band's strengths both vocally and in building complex, attention-grabbing tracks that have launched them from their native Houston and brought them back to the annual business card emporium that is South By Southwest. Back in November the squad of Omar, Tom Nguyen and Justin and Adam Martinez were hungry, eagerly anticipating the release of their project, Make Out King which dropped soon afterwards on February 18 of this year. Anticipating a big jump in notoriety, the world offered up some obstacles after their drummer, Justin, fell ill with a bad appendix that landed him in the hospital for two weeks, arriving in Austin straight from his stay there, a literal hole still in his side. Rock N' Roll. Anyway, it's obvious the music world has taken The Tontons in directions they would have never expected, and a bit of the frustration was evident in talking to them this time around. Through it all though, The Tontons have an innately upbeat spirit that makes even them jokingly talking about being jaded seem like being on the outside of an inside joke. They play great and make music that transcends radio trends or falsified public relations campaigns. The Tontons are the band you come to SXSW to see, and I was lucky enough to get a few minutes of their time before they played the Big Picture Media Showcase at The Thirsty Nickel to see how everyone was doing and where the ship is headed in 2014.
[Review] The Tontons: "Make Out King and Other Stories of Love"
Hailing from Houston, groovy foursome The Tontons put themselves on the national radar with their brand new, soulful album The Make Out King and Other Stories of Love. Out officially today, the album has been streaming for the past couple weeks, inviting listeners to experience the buzz of The Tontons magnetic record before they can get their hands on a copy.
The band (singer Asli Omar, bassist Tom Nguyen, drummer Justin Martinez and guitarist Adam Martinez) have been together for the long haul, pumping out their seductive rock sound to everyone who would give them a chance. The Tontons don't fit into any one genre, but instead spread themselves over an array of sounds leaving you reeling and wondering how you are going to describe them to your friends.
"Our song is as random as our look. Like, you look at us and people usually don’t know what to expect or what we’re going to sound like, I think we like to keep people on their toes," Omar said during an interview with Ruby Hornet's own Jake Krez at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2013.
Make Out King comes out of the gate with the up-beat single "Magic Hour," which I believe is the best way to start off the album. This song is currently my favorite. It's surfer rock vibe eases you into the song only to blow you away with Omar's powerful, thick vocals. Her voice has a sultry rawness that reminds me of Amy Winehouse at times, mixed with a belty, strong sound of Genevieve Shatz from Chicago outfit Company of Thieves. Weird match up, I know, but oh so good.
The album plays a bit of tug-o-war between a fresh pop-rock sound and steamy, laid back, blues-y R&B ballads like "Kidd Cemetery." This song really stuck out to me because of it's sexy, cosmic sound and revealing lyrics. Omar sings "I hurt, you hurt, but it's all in fun." The album seems to be extremely personal, allowing listeners to envelop themselves in the stories. In "Bones 1," Omar sings about daunting life decisions like having children, getting a 9 to 5 and settling down almost as if she's convincing herself: "Today's not that day, I'm not that girl."
The Make Out King and Other Stories of Love shimmers, radiating strength and sadness, all the while making you want to dance. The buzz and boldness of the bass from Ngyunen, the sick dynamic riffs from guitarist Adam Martinez, and the steady super tight beats from Justin Martinez, operate smoothly with passion and precision allowing Asli Omar to wail and whisper over the tracks with deep lustrous vocals.
You can and should snag the album on The Tontons bandcamp or iTunes today!
The Tontons: "Magic Hour"
As we ease our way into the new year, one of the more exciting acts on the cusp is Houston-based foursome, The Tontons, who released their latest single, "Magic Hour" on Rolling Stone. The group enjoyed considerable success in 2013, releasing their debut video, "Veida" on The Wall Street Journal's music website and playing Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas, where they opened for Kurt Vile to start the fest and where we caught up with them as well. The group's funky, upbeat vibes can make even sitting inside on a cold snowy day seem pleasant.
Check out the latest from The Tontons by downloading the song on Rolling Stone.