Sevilla was packed with art junkies of all ages Thursday evening, as Long Beach natives Karl? provided a theatrical musical show that captivated the crowd, while encompassing a blend of exceptional melodic sounds.
Karl? is no amateur to the visceral limelight that layers the stage, nor are they unaware of the sort of original noise they are able to create by combining excessive talent with the utilization of inanimate objects. It is this very quality that sets them apart from other traditional acts, while allowing them to remain diverse in a city flooded with musical capability.
The skillful five-some formed in 2011 after meeting through the Cal State Long Beach music department. They have been performing all over the city ever since.
As a collective unit, Karl? is not afraid to take risks as they blend the notion of English Romanticism with psychedelic jazz and a bombastic Latin undertone. With such an eclectic sound, the group emits pure melodic magic, entrenching its audiences with a wave of energetic noise, while forcing people toward the stage.
“There’s a void in all of us,” said Daniel Chavez (guitar and vocals). “When we get together that void gets a little smaller.”
While many conventional bands utilize the vocal tones of one specific member, Karl? blends a rich three-part harmony between Chavez, Rebecca Lynn (vocals and violin) and Alex Mastrovito (vocals and percussion).
Completing the versatility, Lynn’s violin provides a dramatic edge to an already theatrical disposition, while Mastrovito provides his own table of unique tools, tambourines, micro megaphones, and clicking a butter knife against a beer bottle. This supplements the band’s ability to create even more sound than necessary.
While vocals remain a powerful ingredient to their musical creation, the group provides a significant amount of time to explode into an instrumental frenzy, with Mike Malinowski (drums) providing heavy fills and Nic Gonzalez (bass) plucking violently.
Standing behind their three musical counterparts, Malinowski and Gonzales don’t go unnoticed, as they provide the rich melodic rhythm that acts a perfect complement both Lynn’s piercing falsetto and Chavez’s subtle guitar solos.
With each song emitting versatility, they interweave between moments of solemnity as well as fast-paced antics, ending each song with what feels like a metaphorical punch to the gut.
With a unique musical emphasis combined with the symbolic exploits of simple lyricism, the Daily 49er got a chance to talk with Karl? and learned how they move with the musical motions while creating a craft that blends talent with just the right amount of silliness.
Daily 49er: How are you able to do what you love while balancing life, school and relationships at the same time?
Daniel Chavez: There’s a lot of elements that make my life good and this definitely fits into the top three for me. But we are very sensitive to each other and what’s going on in our lives.
Alex Mastrovito: It’s hard. I’m tired all the time, but it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice.
Nic Gonzalez: Karl? feeds into my energy.
Rebecca Lynn: I’d be willing to sacrifice because it’s my pleasure.
49er: What sets you apart from other bands in Long Beach?
Lynn: The violin really sets us apart.
Chavez: [The violin is] a prominent element and the harmonies are also really different. Because we’ve all studied music scholastically, we can [play] it out.
49er: Mastrovito recently rejoined the band after spending a few months in South America. How has the group developed since his second coming?
Chavez: Alex is really the color man and our music has totally developed. We have standard music but he adds extraneous color by using stuff like cheese graters, micro megaphone and shakers. It’s all really experimental. Before it was mainly vocals, but now with Alex back, he’s added so much more.
Mastrovito: It’s like if you take a cherry pie, and if you take the crust and the filling and all the deliciousness, you know it’s going to be awesome. But it’s even better with the caramelized outer layer, or like if you put brandy on it and light it in fire. I’m the warmth to that flame.
Lynn: Michael’s the crust.
49er: What do you want people to take from your music?
Chavez: We want to make people feel and we want to fulfill something they didn’t know was missing.
Mastrovito: Really, it’s to take people on a journey and to say, ‘Come have an adventure with us.’
49er: How is it competing with other musical acts within the area, especially coming from a place that seems to be exploding with new acts every day?
Chavez: It’s totally not competing. There’s room for everyone and there’s plenty of things to bring to the table. I think it’s important to share what we have going on so we can help each other out. I can think of a lot of instances where I’ve been influenced by other bands in both a positive and negative way, but it’s silly to think of it as a competition when we can really learn from one another.
Lynn: It’s also important to keep your eye on the goal and to chase the dream and don’t concern yourself with your competitors.
Gonzalez: The most important thing about being in a band is liking your songs and liking the music you make. I’ve been in different bands where I haven’t liked what I was doing, and with Karl? I like the company. If the band is collectively vibing and working together, then the music is that much better in the end.
Karl? will play at DiPiazzas on May 19 to celebrate the release of their first record compilation under Headchange Records. For more information, visit facebook.com/karlqmark.
