My Artist of the Month Review: Oliophonic
The only element preventing Oliophonic from completely falling apart is their lead vocalist, Angie Nero (aka Angela Marida Del Bianco). She clearly attempts to push the band toward a soul-blues sound, but even her strongest efforts are dragged down by the band’s lack of musicianship and overall B-class talent. There’s a reason musicians say you’re only as good as the band you keep, and Oliophonic proves that point relentlessly. Instead of demanding better collaborators, Nero appears content performing alongside low-level open-mic players with little ambition or skill, a guaranteed way to stall any serious career momentum.
Their musical shortcomings become especially obvious in their cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground. The performance strips the song of its groove, energy, and urgency. The rhythm section is flat and uninspired, completely missing what makes the original work. The guitarist’s approach is particularly painful: weak strumming, dull chord voicings, and a total absence of funk. It sounds less like interpretation and more like misunderstanding.
Guitarist Harley Kizner shows some competence when playing lead blues lines, but even that wears thin quickly. His playing relies heavily on the same recycled licks and pentatonic scales, repeated endlessly throughout the set. What might pass for “feel” in short bursts becomes monotonous over the course of a full night. By the end of the show, it’s clear that Oliophonic isn’t evolving, experimenting, or pushing boundaries—they’re simply coasting on a stale blues template with nothing new to say.
Mike Ophek’s bass playing projects a high level of confidence on stage through his original compositions, though his playing does not consistently reflect the same authority in other songs. In the Higher Ground video, he hides behind the lead guitarist, which clearly suggests an insecurity and lack of confidence with this particular piece of music. In my own professional experience performing alongside him, I’ve found that maintaining consistency becomes challenging as musical expectations increase. This carries over into Oliophonic’s recordings and live performances, where the bass parts tend to feel restrained and predictable.
Drummer Randy Curtis is the band’s most compelling element. His strong pocket, time feel, and musical restraint provide much-needed cohesion and drive. His playing noticeably elevates the material, though the band’s overall impact remains limited by uneven contributions from the other members. Ultimately, Curtis carries much of the responsibility for keeping the group grounded musically.
Here’s their take on Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts, but for me, the performance falls flat. It lacks the energy, groove, and emotional drive that make the original so powerful. The delivery feels uninspired, and as a result, the cover comes across as a dull and forgettable interpretation of an otherwise iconic song.
