Heroes of Toolik is strangely original, old-school art rock–“deceptively catchy, hypnotically growling, post-Velvets grooves.” (NY Music Daily). Comparisons range widely from the Velvets to Captain Beefheart ‘Shiny Beast’, even to the Grateful Dead. (NY Taper) NY Music Daily says of the 7” Aquarium School, “it wouldn’t be out of place on REM’s Chronic Town but with a more lush interesting arrangement than anything on that album.” “Strong guitar riffs, a chill drumbeat and that boisterous brass section . . . ” (The Aquarian). The players are “a who’s who of underground rock”. (Big Takeover). The NY Times has praised Arad Evans’ (Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham) “soaring guitar” and as one of “an index of creative or experimental electric-guitar-based music in America — young lords of the wild in the post-rock tradition.” Rolling Stone calls Robert Poss’s (Band of Susans) guitar playing “adamantly arty, brainy, visceral and bracing.” Billy Ficca, drums, is an original member of the foundational CBGB’s band, Television. Ernie Brooks (bass) shaped punk rock as a member of The Modern Lovers, and later with David Johansen, Jerry Harrison, and Arthur Russell among others. John Speck on trombone is one of the busiest latin session players in the New York area and Jennifer Coates (violin/vocals) is a widely-recognized painter and proponent of old-time fiddle music. Bills have included Antietam, The Fleshtones, The Figgs, The Scene is Now, Speed the Plough and many others. A second, full-length release “Like Night” is set for August 2016, produced by Wharton Tiers.

www.heroesoftoolik.com