MMOC Blog #12 - Our studio albums

While our next plan is to bring you a new Live Picks recording and perhaps a new single for the summer, MMOC has always been all about our studio albums.  We're still promoting our recently released self-titled album and its title track, and you can find out about everything we've recorded over the years by clicking the photo above or reading on!

While our next plan is to bring you a new Live Picks recording and perhaps a new single for the summer, MMOC has always been all about our studio albums.  We're still promoting our recently released self-titled album and its title track, and you can find out about everything we've recorded over the years by clicking the photo above or reading on!
 
​Dominique’s Garden  (2009)
​Tyler Calkins and Dave Verbocy’s early acoustic demos made up the bulk of the band’s first album.  Recorded completely at home with minimal equipment and given a small indie release, the album is still available to download on iTunes and shows the group’s beginning.
Tyler:  “It's not one of the first albums I recommend because of the low quality of the recordings.  But a few of the best songs I’ve written were on that, since we’d had years to come up with them.  Dave and I had to start somewhere.  I’m not sure if I’ve topped ‘Not Coming Down,’ and often consider bringing it back…”
 
On Safari  (2011)
MMOC’s best-known older album and first national release, around half of the songs from "On Safari” are still played at shows.  “Faces On the Floor,” “Goin' to Williamsport,” “Girl With the Red Hair” and “Another Way to Hide” are among the highlights.  Nashville engineer Marc Frigo lent his home studio in State College, PA for the project and helped greatly throughout the recording process.
Standard and Deluxe Edition (featuring live bonus tracks and studio outtakes) available on CDBaby and iTunes.
Tyler:  “That LP is miles above the album before it and the one after it if you ask me.  It’s certainly a naive-sounding album, but those songs worked.  My voice wasn't there yet, but it didn’t matter.  Half of those songs could do well anywhere.  The loose concept was just to make a mid-60’s kind of album, and I think we achieved that and gained experience in the studio.  The first half of the album was mostly two-minute songs with standard rock instrumentation.” 
 
She’s Got Revolution aka MMOC 3  (2012)
The band's third release was nearly a lost MMOC album, and was initially rejected by the group's indie label in late 2011.
Costing thousands to record, mix, and mix again on the west coast, while nearly fracturing the band, the record still contains the memorable songs “In All Certainty,” “Dienna” and “She’s Got Revolution.”  Studio engineers Marc Frigo and Todd Smallwood helped the band salvage the better tracks from the sessions.
Tyler:  “We may have gone back into the studio too quickly after the last album.  I stand by the songs themselves, and everyone worked hard, but that time period wasn't great for me.  We had the wrong people telling us all what to do and we should have waited.  We learned a lesson.”
 
Wait For Me  (2016)
Tyler, Anthony and Dave’s proper follow-up to “On Safari," Tyler recorded many of the instruments himself in his home studio.  The album features the MMOC staples “Wait For Me,” “Miracle” and “Emily.”
Tyler:  “That album was a bit all over the place, but it ended up being one of our better ones.  It was a way for us to rebound and start fresh after some aborted sessions and personnel changes.  Everyone contributed something valuable and it was a fun album.”
 
Marshmellow Overcoat  (2017)
​Marshmellow Overcoat brings Classic Rock up to date with the release of their new self-titled album.  The Pennsylvania band’s most fully-realized work yet, the album features the singles “The Room Spins Around,” “Marshmellow Overcoat” and many more standout throwback Rock songs.
The LP is the first to feature the four-piece lineup of Tyler Calkins (Vocals, Guitars, Piano and Songwriting), Anthony Cavallaro (Drums), Jason Wood (Bass and Backing Vocals) and Alan Hancock (Guitar).  While Tyler’s focus remains Beatles and Dylan-influenced songwriting, the addition of Alan adds a dynamic of guitar virtuosity not heard on previous MMOC albums.  The return of Anthony on the kit and Jason on bass further strengthens the powerful new sound of the group, bridging the gap between Classic Rock-inspired music of the past and more modern music of the nineties and into today.
The tracks were recorded in Pittsburgh, PA with the help of veteran recording engineer and musician Rick Gercak.  The band is now preparing to promote the album with a full slate of gigs for 2017.
Tyler:  “It’s my favorite of ours so far, but that’s easy to say right after the fact.  We’ll play the tunes out as much as we can this year and we’ll know for sure.  Seeing the crowd reaction is the best part."
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