PREMIERE: Harmonica Lewinski - Mango Mouth

Gerard Marcus ·

Kelly Kirwan

Monica Lewinski has been an unwitting icon for political scandal and a name in our cultural lexicon that never seems to expire. She's a noun turned verb (as Beyoncé deemed on her self-titled visual album circa 2013), and a reference tossed around in various comedic sets or satirical run-downs. She turns Shakespeare's famous line of what's in a name on it's axis by showing that sometimes the answer is: a lot. Because among all the jokes and elbow jabs, she’s also morphed into a play on words for the garage-surf rock outfit, Harmonica Lewinski. 

Harmonica Lewisnki has taken the old trope of sex, drugs and rock n' roll and tweaked it to a genre more focused on sex, puns and props (one of their performance mainstays). Being that fun is a huge factor in both their music and frame of mind (you can just imagine them introducing their band name with a smug expression), they evoke a funny-because-it's-slightly-uncouth kind of glee. This good times mentality is downright contagious on their latest track, “Mango Mouth.” It has shades of The Zombies’ Time of the Season—specifically with it's easy summer vibes; it’s a song that should be played on dreamy, lackadaisical July nights, the deep, almost drawling vocals emphasizing the sultry quality of its melody. It's got that cool you associate with jazz, and the chill of lo-fi psychedelia—that sweet buzz of your first few drinks and all-in-good-fun provocation.  Harmonica Lewinski has two shows in NYC this weekend and a TAPE coming out tomorrow. Be sure to check them out.