What, Really? is several kilometers away from being a household name. But they are working toward that goal, one fan at a time.

Their four-song EP, with the easy-to-remember name s​/​t promo 2013, is available on Bandcamp. Name your price, anything from a million dollars down to nothing.

“This is our first EP, totally self produced; this means work, fun, sweat and money put in something we believe,” the band posted. “If you want to support us, you can pay a little money for the songs, you name your price. If you decide not to pay, we’re okay with that; maybe you can share the songs with your friends or the links to our band-pages.”

I ponied up 5 euros (about 6.84 USD). In addition to the usual Bandcamp autoresponse, I received a personal email from What, Really? bassist Matteo Manganelli thanking me for the purchase. In a subsequent email he suggested that we get together someday. That might be difficult, since What, Really? is located in Bologna, Italy. But it’s on my bucket list.

My first impression is that What, Really? sounds like what Dookie might have become if Green Day didn’t take itself so damn seriously. Like Amalie Bruun’s “Crush” (see previous post), all four songs pass the Zombie Test with flying colors. Meaning that if they don’t make you smile a little then you are a soulless, brain-eating zombie and I definitely do not want to have a beer with you.

Details about What, Really? are difficult to ascertain. They are a four-piece, previously a three-piece. They played the International Pop Overthrow Festival in Liverpool, and the Cavern Club, birthplace of the Beatles (do I really have to say that?). Matteo was previously in Dagos. They are currently testing new material with “some small gigs” in Italy, and another four-song EP is in the works.

Don’t expect the usual list of influences or the “I play a Strat with Ernie Ball Lights except on the high E” routine. As their bio says…

Does it really matter who we are and where we live or what we’ve done? We are a band, we make music, we play our songs. So listen to us. Then come and see us play live, or maybe we can come and play at your place, even in your bedroom. Contact us, have a drink with us, and if you feel to, share what you like with your friends. ‘cos this is what really matters.

Yeah, give it a listen! This is Good Music! Get it now and in a couple of years you can say, “I knew What, Really? back when a 5 euro download was a lot of money to them…”

Join What, Really? on Bandcamp, Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter.