Biography

You could be forgiven for listening to Toad and the Stooligans and forgetting, from time to time, that they are a hip hop act. At their core, they are indeed a hip hop band; but putting those terms together invites influence from places most hip hop artists don’t think to explore. The Providence, RI based quintet of musicians naturally pulls their sound from what they have grown up on - some strange amalgam of jazz, alternative rock, R&B, pop, funk, soul and hip hop. While the group has dabbled in this mixture since their inception, the group has refined their approach with their newest album, “Jesus Juice”. The sophomore effort from the Stooligans flows from influence to influence, each song taking cues from different eras and styles, but retaining a signature sound throughout the album. The vocal tandem of Mike Jencks and Dan Pomfret acts as the stylistic anchor, trading off clever wordplay, rhythmic precision and catchy vocal melodies consistently while traversing an ever-changing soundscape. The rhythm section of bassist Alex Caimano and drummer Matt O’Brien are locked in, keeping the songs moving and grooving from start to finish. The icing on the cake sonically is the addition of Daniel Hill, whose intricate and lively keyboard parts mesh with Pomfret’s guitar playing to bring atmosphere and spirit to the collection of songs. From top to bottom, the group’s diverse influences are always prevalent, whether it be gospel choirs, pop ballads, ‘60’s soul or classic funk.