In a day and age where it seems like the only new rock music being showcased is cookie cutter bands with the same sound, sharing hit songs written by the same couple of staff writers one might wonder what happened to rock and roll? What happened to the no compromise, risk taking, anything but safe artists that made rock one of the most influential, and successful genres of music in the world. The rule breakers, writing from the heart not concerned with fitting in a mold or being ?the next? whatever. What happened to an album full of songs that doesn?t sound like 10 variations of the same song all trying to fit that elusive ?hit? formula? What the hell is a ?hit formula?? I can?t answer these questions but I can show you a band. Craving Strange is a Long Island rock band that knows what it means to be rock and roll. With former area favorite Sick as Monday members Jimmy Gerovac and Jimi Tassone on lead vocals, guitars, and drums respectively, metal band Silent Fate?s former lead guitarist Frank Guertin, and bass virtuoso Tommy Wendt Craving Strange has a dizzying amount of musical talent and almost scary potential. Gerovac?s vocals and songwriting alone have already garnered him rave reviews from local music magazines ?Good Times?, Aural Fix? and ?Inside Connection? for songs like Heroin, and Otherside off former band sick as Mondays debut album ?My Insignificant Other?. The album also featured the solid innovative drum work of Tassone who also produced and mixed the album in his own O.C.D. Workshop in which he is now preparing the anticipated Craving Strange album for a Fall/Winter release. Guertin?s guitar work on Silent Fate?s ?The Autumn Machine? must be heard to be believed as he is one of the few guitarists around to balance feel and technique in a way that makes him a truly unique and amazing artist. A relative unknown to the scene Tommy Wendt is a bass hero in the making whose playing takes the band to another level. Mixing an almost, dare I say, John Paul Jones like quality in his style while maintaining a songwriter mentality of melody and enhancement while never forgetting that he and Tassone are the backbone and rhythm of Craving Strange. For only being together a short time the band has put together and impressively diverse yet cohesive and intense set of songs exploding with amazing musicianship, well written hook heavy songs, and have already developed a unique style and sound that has immediately set them in a class by themselves. Craving Strange live is a can?t take your eyes off them roller-coaster like experience as the band takes you from highs to lows 0-60 and back again all while infecting you with the good time they?re having on stage just being a kick **** rock band. Already packing the areas best live venues and hitting the road the band is definitely a must see and fun to watch. They make you want to come back, hell they make you want to be a part of the team and help however you can, send out bulletins, sell their merch, write them a bio. If I can just be fan for a second?Craving Strange is awesome!