Free Monica: Breaking Through in a Matter of Time
Chris Manson June 3, 2004 Issue

Destin’s Mellow Mushroom—affectionately known as “the Shroom” to regulars—is a terrific hangout. It’s the only place I know that offers Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap, the food is good, and on Monday nights you get to hear one of the brightest young talents around.

Kyle LaMonica of the trio Free Monica is home from Florida State University for summer solo gigs. During the next few weeks, he will also appear at the Harbor Seafood Grill on Saturday nights while his longtime friend and collaborator Ben Friedman finishes up his school year in California. The full band—drummer Andy Gagliano rounds out the threesome—has some major dates lined up for June and July, including bookings at the Skybar, Destin Commons, and the Village at Baytowne Wharf.

I arrived at the Shroom Monday evening and offered to help LaMonica bring his equipment inside. “Not the heavy stuff, though, I hurt my back,” I lied. You really ought to get some high school kid to do this for you, I suggested. Two good-sized Peavey speakers, a mixing board, wind machines, monitors…everything seems to fit perfectly in LaMonica’s vehicle. It’s as if his Ford Explorer were built with this exact amount of gear in mind.

The Dave Matthews decal centered on the Explorer’s back window only hinted at the style of music I’d be hearing tonight. “I like his early stuff,” LaMonica said of Matthews. “I thought he was the coolest, but I don’t listen to him that much anymore.” He also cited John Mayer and the popular Northeast band Guster—“They’re pretty much the epitome of what we do”—as influences. “I listen to a lot of different stuff. Lately, I’ve been getting into a little country and bluegrass.” LaMonica hasn’t been playing guitar long—he began at age 14, he’s 20 now—but he’s developed some impressive rhythm skills.

LaMonica began singing in high school. He is pursuing a degree in “commercial music” at FSU. The curriculum includes learning the business side of the music industry: contracts, publishing, and marketing. He plays solo gigs in Tallahassee when time permits, usually on the weekends. Private functions for fraternities and sororities paid well.

I first saw Free Monica in January when they had their CD release party for Matter of Time. LaMonica and Friedman took turns on lead vocals and guitar, while Gagliano tore it up on the drums. LaMonica occasionally plays bass and keyboards, but he insists his main instrument has always been his voice. He describes the band’s style as “high energy acoustic rock music with singer-songwriter and folk rock influences.”

At live shows, the guys focus on their original material. But with only 15 Free Monica songs to their credit so far, that leaves a lot of room for other people’s tunes. “We have to fill with crowd favorites and cover songs,” LaMonica said. “We try to put a big focus on songs that have a lot of harmony because we both like to sing together.”

Friedman and LaMonica began performing as a duo last summer. “We were itching for a place to play. The owner of the Mellow Mushroom gave us a shot, and we’ve had other paying gigs around. We’re trying to create a buzz this summer,” LaMonica said.

Gagliano joined the outfit when Free Monica began recording the nine songs on Matter of Time in June 2003. “Andy’s a phenomenal kid. He’s been studying recording arts for the last six or seven years. He wants to be a producer,” LaMonica said. On the CD, Gagliano did everything from producing to engineering and mixing. The album was completed in November. “It was convenient that we were recording at his house and he’s in the band.”

“The CD started out as a demo,” Gagliano said. “Then we added little things and sort of built it up. I wasn’t part of the band during the production. Our families have been good friends for years. I’ve known Kyle for a long time. We’re really familiar with how each other plays. It’s totally spontaneous.” Gagliano hopes to try his hand at songwriting when it’s time to record the follow-up.

LaMonica began writing songs after his first serious relationship went sour. But his tunes are about more than lost love. He pointed to the CD’s title track. “Matter of Time is about making it. ‘We’ve been chasing the dream, it’s always been so far away…we’ve been seeing this perfect picture in our minds.’” A song about LaMonica’s grandfather, Storyteller, didn’t make the album but has become a staple of live performances.

“We’d really like to pursue this after we finish school,” LaMonica said. “We have long term goals. Ben plans to move to Tallahassee, and we’ll work from there. Andy wants to go to the Berklee College of Music and pursue production. We’ll start getting serious—get a manager, a booking agent, then hit the touring circuit. Right now, we feel really lucky to be able to come home during the summer and have fun with it. It’s a matter of making the right contacts to move on to the next level of success. That’s what we’re waiting for.”

LaMonica began his first set with a Dave Matthews song, which his melodic voice took to new heights—effortlessly hitting random high notes. He sounded more passionate on his original songs—when he sang Silent Desperation, he spit out the lyrics like poison. Catch Up, one of the most popular songs from Free Monica’s CD, starts out like a Tracy Chapman song before veering off in a wonderful pop-oriented direction. No wonder it’s an audience favorite.

His performance of a Keith Urban song suggested LaMonica could pursue the country market if he wanted. There were more good originals and something by Jason Mraz before he did a song I recognized, Elton John’s Tiny Dancer. Even better was his energetic take on George Michael’s Faith.

As LaMonica played a striking acoustic rendition of Toto’s Africa, I began to compile a mental list of other ‘80s favorites I wanted to hear him work up. I worried that LaMonica, good as he is, might screw up that second verse like I always do when I sing along with it on my CD…I mean, on the radio, (I don’t own any Toto CDs, I swear.) A guy in the audience wanted to hear more Toto, but LaMonica explained he wasn’t familiar with any of the group’s other songs—he knew Africa because he heard it on his parents’ Billboard Top Hits compilation album. Instead, LaMonica gave in to popular demand and offered his amusing rendition of Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time.

“We have a couple regulars,” LaMonica said. “What’s great—what’s exciting—is seeing the crowd react to our songs. It’s cool to see people sing along to Catch Up.” LaMonica’s friends and admirers also showed uncommon courtesy by stepping outside to take their cell phone calls. Or maybe Kyle was just playing too loud.

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