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Another man's treasure

With their first album, Now Hear This, released last week, Sumack has exploded into a new genre of music highly their own - a style they describe simply as "junkrock."

"Junkrock is making something out of something someone else threw away," said Mark McAdam, vocalist and guitarist for Sumack. "It says we'll use anything. We love junk."

McAdam said the band adds some unconventional musical instruments like water bottles, keys, chains and pipes to their normal lineup of drums, bass and guitars.

"For Sumack, basic rock rules don't matter. There are a lot of different elements in it (junkrock)," said McAdam. "It's just a little bit of everything."

Despite the relative youth of this genre, Sumack said that after three years together, they expect their sound to help put "junkrock" on the map.

"The stuff we use is not recognized as a sample, it's usually something weird," McAdam said. "We get a lot of our samples from old records we found in thrift stores and stuff. It's not necessarily 'junk' - but it is, because it's stuff other people threw out."

Their tour started in Tampa, Fla., where they've been playing shows with Jimmy's Chicken Shack, Stroke 9 and Gomez - the latter being a band they've been compared to quite often.

"Although people connect our influences and our sound to Gomez, Beck and Soul Coughing, we seem to see our influences deep rooted in the stuff we heard when we were kids," McAdam said.

Now Hear This lends an element of timelessness to the music, "like music you can cook breakfast to," McAdam said, but it's definitely modern and fits the music of the techno-age millennium.

Even their live performance gives that feeling of a potluck dinner - it's traditional, but you never know what to expect.

"Roles that we play live on stage are often switched up," McAdam said. "On one song, we rotate instruments at each section of the song. It's exciting. I've been playing guitar since I was 10. At this point, I know what I'm doing. It's more fun to play an instrument you're not so great at."

Sumack also includes bass player Daniel Bernath, drummer Pete McNeil, percussionist Kit Pongetti and former producer Rod Sherwood, who now plays keyboards and samples.

"I think that what defines Sumack as a band is that we're all homesick for someplace else," said McAdam. "None of us are native of L.A. It's what gives our music cohesiveness. We stick together in this place where we don't belong, and it's even stronger when we're on the road."

It's been a trial for Sumack on their last few tours.

"It's hard to be touring as an opening band because every night we have to prove ourselves all over again," McAdam said. "We're not afraid to put our hearts on our sleeves. We hope people get that about us and check us out."

Sumack's debut album contains a medley of sounds, each track with an entirely distinct personality.

McAdam said the track "Do-Si-Do," which centers around a man with a drinking problem, is their most original song and ultimately defines Sumack.

"'Do-Si-Do' is one of my favorites," McAdam said. "Some people say the lyrics are about nonsense, but they're not. All of our songs are trying to say something or tell some story."

Sumack last toured in Tucson with ex-House of Pain frontman Everlast and can be seen again tonight at Gotham, 4385 W. Ina Rd., for an 18 and over show.