Southeast Performer Magazine

Upstart Review

Recorded by Matt Simenteris at The Barn(Charlotte) and by Scott Cash at The Basement(Charlotte)
Mastered at Reflection Studios(Charlotte)
Produced by Justincase, John and Holly Tosco, and by Scott Cash

The Tosco siblings of Charlotte, NC are Justincase. And, just in case you haven't heard, these kids have the potential to be stars when all the Backstreet Boys/Ninety-Eight Degrees/'N Sync/ad nauseum faux-R&B flotsam lies forgotten on the slag heap of disposable crap culture.
Justin Tosco - all of 16 years old - writes, sings, and plays guitar with more authority that can normally be expected at such a tender age. Like Alex Chilton in his Box Tape days, or Steve Winwood with the Spencer Davis Group, Tosco's confidence and competence belies his youth. The rhythm section of younger Toscos - Nick, 15, on drums and Hannah, 13(!!), on bass - lay down a simple but fundementally solid foundation for Justin's compositions about classic adolescent angst. There's paeans to teen topics such as love ("The Key"), love lost("I Can Be The Death In You"), love confusion ("Traffic Light"), and love for freedom ("Breathe Tonight"), plus a song about depression ("The Hole"), and even a psycho-drama ("Be Me"). They touch a lot of pop-rock bases as well; echoes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and others permeate throughout.
To be sure, the record has its faults. It could have benefited greatly by the guiding hand of a more experienced producer (paging Butch Vig!) to help the kids get a livelier recorded sound, as well as tightening up the too-long arrangements of some pieces. A better mastering job would have improved the sound quality. The songs occasionaly stumble when Tosco gets too wordy, but the kid is just a kid, and will learn to express himself more concisely in due course.
These kids are all right.