I don’t use the words ‘literal’ or ‘supergroup’ lightly. I know that the definitions of these words have lost their heft due to oversaturation. However, in this case, it is the simple truth. The Maybes are made up of some of the most beloved musicians to come out of the Hoboken/Jersey City music scenes.
The core trio of songwriters is comprised of singer/songwriter Dave Calamoneri who has made a name for himself with straightforward, heartfelt folk rock both solo and with his band Davey and the Trainwreck. Brother and sister team of Jaime and Dominick Della Fave have a long history of making amazing music in bands like Eugene, The Fave, Starlight Junkies, King Dom, and more. Each of them composed a song on this three-song EP.
Rounding out the lineup are drummer/producer Johnny Rock who has built quite a resume producing and playing on many projects over the years and bassist/vocalist Jonathan Andrew who has lent his talents to bands like The Toll Collectors, Strangers Stopping Strangers, and more.
I’m gonna be a little selfish here. This is pure, simple comfort for me. The voices, the guitars, the attitude take me back to a simpler time of late night jams and the after parties that would follow. We were younger, more resilient, with little care beyond the night. And those feelings still resonate in these songs as they weave and flow through the ether. Each song hits a different synapse, triggering a different memory.
Of course life has changed for us all. Marriage, children, and houses outside of Hoboken. Some became vegan, I got sober, and the venues are gone. Maxwell’s, The Goldhawk (formerly The Liquid Lounge), Northern Soul (formerly The Quiet Woman), The Whiskey Bar (formerly Live Tonight, formerly Beat’n Path), Boo Boo’s Funkadelic Lounge, Love Sexy (aka Signore’s Lounge), Rodeo/Ristra, and so many more. These were places that made Hoboken a music scene to be reckoned with back in the day.
That’s not to say there aren’t some impressive young bands coming up or a handful of great venues today. There are. It’s just that the vibrance of the scene simply doesn’t shine as bright anymore. I’d like to think that, as long as we have the talent and resolve, the memories will live on and the scene can survive.
Check out The Maybes on Instagram and stream the new EP ‘You Never Know’ today.
Links:
The Maybes (Instagram)
Stream the new EP ‘You Never Know’
