They remind many of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, four alt-rock addicts formed into a Los Angeles tune crew, but MLEO has a sound concept, songwriting purpose, and approach to performance all their own. Comprised of its four original members in front woman Audrey Reed, guitarist Victor San Pedro, drummer Elias Vasquez, and bass quitarist Nick De La O, they follow last years breakout debut album “Sunken City” with what promises to be their biggest single to date, “Ridiculous”, on which Reed rhetorically asks a lover: “Can’t you see me walking out this door?
Written by ToneSwep
Where the “Sunken City” album was essentially an introduction to their musical moods and audio-visual intentions, the “Ridiculous” single showcases a more seasoned feel. Vocally, Reed challenges herself here, tackling an at times pensively self-effacing and others confidently accusing tone in the song, while San Pedro and Vasquez assert themselves beneath her screams on the guitar and drums, respectively. After memorable live sets opening for Plain White T’s and Andy Grammer at Waves Weekend, playing at LA’s feel good Eat See Hear fest, and smashing their live set at Hollywood’s House of Blues, the team of class-conditioned musicians are well on their way to solidifying themselves in the oft-mentioned indie rocker set. MLEO’s 2016 festival season promises to be a busy one.
MLEO (ed note: Muh-Lee-Oh) began as a trio, performing at their hometown high school and growing in popularity on the local music scene. With a variety of musical interests ranging from Hip Hop to hard rock, the group’s speaker-teaser influence is reflective of their native Sacramento, an eclectic multi-cultural town as ethnically diverse as culturally merged. The result is a collective wave of human encounters expressed via Reed’s resonating explanations of place and time on each MLEO song.