Brad Sweitzer & The Young Sophisticates

The only son of a postman and a teacher, Brad Sweitzer's often surreal perspective is saturated with unique reactions to over 20 years of life in monotonous, middle class America. Though inspired by such musical anomalies as They Might Be Giants and Frank Zappa, Sweitzer shares little more than their ability to dogleg the mainstream and illuminate the mystical in the mundane. His are anthems for the un-celebrated. Abandoning the traditional, love ballads become odes to pubic hairs; empty beer bottle breadcrumb pathways home. While potent enough to twist the microscope on capitalism's consumption of small towns, Sweitzer's voice maintains the tenderness to coax compelling narrative from a curious house cat. His recordings capture only a suggestion of each song. When performed live, the songs almost re-write themselves, bowing to the atmosphere for interpretation. Playing live since the age of 14, Sweitzer's onstage persona has varied from raucous spectacle to subdued storyteller while always allowing the music to be the hook and line; his body the reel.