Lithic is a funky four piece who recently moved their entire operation from the East Coast to sunny Southern California. Jack Dinger, Juan Peña, Marvin Buessau, and Stone Panunzio formed the band in Boston while they were attending that city’s prestigious Berklee College of Music. After graduation they moved to Los Angeles to rock historic clubs like The Viper Room.
Over the past three years the group has released a handful of singles. Now thanks to COVID-19 they are on lockdown and unable to gig. So Lithic has hit the studio in 2020. “Nightmares” is the group’s third single so far this year. The track is an excellent showcase for their unique genre-bending sound of funky rhythms, rocking guitar and smart, soulful vocals.
“Nightmares” starts off with an infectious melody and danceable groove that lands somewhere between the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Maroon 5. The beat never let’s up as the song progresses, and the rock intensifies. It is no surprise that the members of Lithic are graduates of a top music school. These are four guys that know how to play their instruments. The energy builds from funky Pop to an all-out Rock banger when the song hits the 3:00 mark and explodes into some sweet, heavy metal riff rock.
Lyrically the track is a meditation on childhood fears and deep personal loss. The pairing of such heavy subject matter with upbeat and funky rock may seem counter-intuitive, but it works. The music functions as an unspoken catharsis for the song’s protagonist, “surrounded by darkness and monsters in the night.”
Check out “Nightmares” on all major streaming services. And listen to Lithic on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Follow the links below to connect with the band and stay in the loop on all of their current and future releases.