The Common Men Call it post-punk, call it new wave, call it indie - hell, call it a combination of the above - but whatever you call The Common Men, say it with respect. This hook-drenched musical group is guaranteed to provide all the entertainment you'll need. Prepare to be glutted with aural satisfaction. The Common Men truly are a gift to the world of rock and roll music, laying out tunes that are bound to galvanize even the toughest critic, sending the heart into a blood-pumping frenzy that can only be quelled with even more music and perhaps the mighty pumping of a fist in the air. Cathartic “Music is more of a cathartic experience for me,” says Kevin Aparicio of The Common Men, whose membership is anything but common. Be it softer, emotive tunes or faster, driven pieces, the creative process for Aparicio and company converts in its cathartic reaction the emotions of The Common Men's membership into constructs of solid, absorbing music that refuses to be ignored or denied. There is a sense of fun and beauty to be found in these songs but if you listen closely you will also hear a touch of the edge of classic, dark new wave angst. Even One Person As far as The Common Men are concerned, as long as somebody - even a solitary soul - is affected by a song, then that song has fulfilled its destiny. “Music that moves any one person at any give time is doing its job,” says Kevin. For The Common Men, that means that any of the group's songs are doing their jobs to the max, electrifying listener after listener as the music gathers momentum for total domination of the rock world. Dark Side There's plenty of pop to bubble on about the bright side of life, but the shadow is not to be ignored. And it is in the darker side of art that true peace and catharsis is to be found. “The dark side of humanity inspires me,” says Kevin. “Apathy, greed, malice, indifference, paranoia and melancholy are all themes that permeate our music and my writing.” It is strength of songwriting and honesty in composition on display when talented artists like The Common Men confront the shadow head on and harness its energy in a positive form - such as music. But the dark side isn't all there is to this music. Human strengths also make an appearance. “The dynamics of human relationships also inspire my writing, especially the lengths to which people will go for friendship, trust and love.” What it all comes down to is this, says Kevin: “Our music focuses on human drama and extreme emotions. Not interested in preaching messages or teaching lessons, we prefer to present conflicts which spotlight flawed protagonists in impossible situations.” Accomplishments The Common Men performed at the Bands That Rock Showcase in San Francisco and also made a “Live in Studio A” appearance on KDVS Radio. The group was voted one of the best unsigned new acts of 2005 by online magazine The Audio Nut. The future will see The Common Men play at the Sacramento Horror Film Festival with a number of gigs set in the interval between now and them. If you can't get the chance to see them live, the group's “Just Jest” EP is freshly released. In addition, a follow-up is planned for a release to coincide with the festival appearance. The Common Men are currently working with A&R Select, the leading A&R firm in Hollywood, CA. Review “The Common Men sound fresh and invigorating while summoning the best in a bygone era of rock that was saturated with the greatness of classic goth and new wave acts.” - A&R Select