Surely the youngest act to hit the CMJ stage this year, The Orwells is an Elmhurt, IL-based self-defined ‘Flower Punk’ five piece fronted by the impressively charismatic Mario Cuomo, this tall blond stick-figure who owns the stage like few are able to. Especially that early in the afternoon (2pm when I saw them). Call them perfectionists, or just really good at what they do, fact is, rarely do you see a band so well prepared to take on its crowd. With so far one album, “Remember When’ (first self-released a year ago) to their name, full of the passionate lo-fi ballads that would tend to set their effervescent, American spirit-soaked, sometimes erratic garage aesthetic right in the footsteps of the Third Man himself, they’re a definite favourite of this year’s talent quest, one we’ll have to be keeping an eye on. Oh, and if you’re curious, why not listen to Mario Cuomo rap. Sure worth your three minutes.
