Standing out in a crowded music scene today is a daunting task, especially if you are a rock band from New Jersey that everyone has trouble describing. A Clever Con (ACC), though, is a group that is having fun making some interesting music and just hoping that everything will fall neatly into place.
The band’s debut, The Robot EP, is the culmination of a few years of formulating themselves as a group, and honing their songwriting skills while at the same time trying to find their own identity.
ACC formed in the summer of 2006 between longtime friends Michael Dietz and Ryan Marsa of Monroe Township. They recruited Bobby Certo, also from Monroe, in 2007 to play bass. Ironically enough, Dietz, Marsa and Certo were members of different bands in high school that competed against one another. They added the final piece in April 2008—TJ “Smash” Horner, who found the band on a Craigslist ad. ACC’s first show together was in August 2008 at the North Star Bar in Philadelphia, after which they began to play regionally in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
ACC’s current lineup embodies a wide range of influences that contribute to the formula that makes up their sound—but perhaps the few that best represent that sound would be Incubus, RX Bandits, Dispatch, Glassjaw, State Radio, Tool, Less Than Jake, Blink 182 and Green Day.
“There are so many bands out there that sound alike,” says guitarist Ryan Marsa. “We want to be part of a new movement for diversity in the New Jersey music scene, and hopefully we bring something new to the table.”
Adds bassist Bobby Certo, “I sometimes have a hard time explaining our sound when people ask me to describe it, which I think is a good thing.”
Indeed, A Clever Con’s diverse taste in music and playing styles is also something that should and does separate them from the proverbial pack. They have incorporated elements of rock, reggae, metal, pop rock, progressive and punk into their sound, and they are a mix of four eclectic musicians with different backgrounds. They also made a conscious effort to be different—to experiment with their sound and push the limits of their own creativity.
Donning their trademark black shirts and lime green ties, ACC continues to play shows and record new material. Following the release of The Robot EP, the band hopes to hit the road in earnest soon to expand their fan base. Their live performance is incredibly energetic and fun. They play music because they love to play music, something that shows more with each performance.
Online Now!
