There is a revelation on the rise: one that is sure to grace your Spotify playlists with ultra-cool and edgy realness. Let us introduce you to Kid Smoko, a five piece alternative rock band from Maplewood, New Jersey, who is here to flip the status quo on your everyday energy booster line-up.
Here are the pertinent pieces to the Kid Smoko pie. We have Matt Salort, one of the two talented vocalists, who goes by the edgier name of “Fraudulent Marty” on Instagram. And there’s Michael Burke, the other side of the vocalist duo, who completes the sound. Next is Michael Ferranti, the producer/mixer/masterer, who basically makes the dreams into reality. And that’s not all: he video edits, too! Moving on… there’s Sam Berkley, who jams out on the guitar and occasionally tries his hand at bass and drums. Last, but certainly not least, is Declan Martins, who also graces the guitar (and maybe a little bit of bass). And there you have it!
What’s perhaps the most unique aspect of the fivesome is that while each guy has his own get-up, they tend to agree on, well, most things. It’s like the friend group we all wanted to be a part of. And now they are rocking and making music with up-and-coming artist Mia Gladstone too. Yeah, they are pretty cool. Want to hear more about what this “Kid Smoke-show” has to offer? Get comfy because SHEESH! has the scoop below.
Starting in summer of 2018, the dynamic “Michael” duo spit a few bars when learning to rap. After all, why not? The two had already been making music together for a year or so. Sam, Declan, and Matt were thrown into the mix when a group chat was made. When the daring group entered their good friend’s studio, none of them knew how serious it would be. Low and behold, the experience turned out to be fun. A few months of summer, a quitted job, and sleeping at their parents’ houses, Kid Smoko was official and on the rise. The rest is history, right?
The band’s first album, “Not Your Son,” gained some traction on SoundCloud, which came as a surprise to the new group. Things were just starting to fall into place. Who knew that their performances were eventually going to be so full, that they would end up having to turn away 40 people? That’s the boy band phenomena right there.
As for performances, that’s the pride and joy of bands everywhere. Mcgill University, attended by producer, Michael Ferranti, proves itself to be the ultimate jam sesh haven for the young group. The campus’s Open Air Pub (OAP) is dubbed by the band as “cheap beers with hundreds of people there.” Not too shabby.
Even though their show at OAP involved “no one knowing who they were,” it was still one of Kid Smoko’s best by far. Over 1000 amped up college kids rolled through the last act of the night. Not a single issue occurred, and apparently that is quite rare for a band.
So where did five different dudes develop an affinity for the ever-changing and expansive music scene? Their answers might surprise you. As a group, their inspirations range from Charli XCX to Kanye West to even a little Beethoven. Other honorable mentions include Tyler the Creator, The Strokes, Gorillaz, and The Drums. But of course, “we have such unique influences within ourselves,” Kid Smoko resounds.
They appreciate and are inspired by an expansive range of other artists’ songs, as well. Dream collabs with Kanye West or Julian Casablancas from The Strokes would send the band to cloud nine, or “Kid Smoko x The 1975.” We hope to see Kid Smoko spitting a verse on a Kanye classic hit in the near future. As for the band’s own musical lineup, “Tommy Boy” (2019) gained the band the most “steam” in early 2020, which they attribute to their fantastic falsetto, vivid vocals, and punchy hook (oh, and finally getting added to Spotify users’ “Discover Weekly”). Making music comes out of the little things for Kid Smoko, like developing little chords here and there.
All in all, Kid Smoko is nothing like what you have seen, heard, or experienced in the music industry thus far. Boy band? Yes. Alternative/indie collaboration that you also want to be best friends with? Yes, indeed. So we had to ask the tried-and-true friend debate—“You’re stuck on a deserted island. What three things are you bringing?”
Once Kid Smoko found out the island was sans concrete for skateboarding, the answers spread from jet skis to a phone with all their favorite songs downloaded. Or possibly bringing Man vs. Wild star, Bear Grylls, along for the ride. If the man can drink his own piss, he’d be sure to help out the dehydrated and stranded band, of course.
As for their fans, who are hopefully safe from the wild, Kid Smoko says, “Thanks for being patient with us. There are a lot of things out of our control that really suck.” Much more unique jams and incredible performances from the band are just over the horizon. Oh, and “start building the ark, because the flood is coming,” signs off Kid Smoko. Whatever that means… we’re on board!
