Power Pop is so Wham Bam Thank You Mam, that at times you just want something a little slower.
Rene Rodriguez and Todd Stanton are both Mike Viola fans and although Viola is at the Power Pop Top Table, he has got that Paul McCartney like way with a melody.
Well Rodriguez and Stanton's Identical Suns have come up with a cracker of an album that is not necessarily Power Pop, yet those influences spring up readily. It's laid back joy.
The opener, "Baby I'm Down", could very well be The Mavericks until the chorus hits you in a sort of UK 60's Beat way.
It's a joyous album, melody led and laid back in a San Franciscan sort of way. An album to listen to from start to finish. Great playing, unexpected arrangements such as drum shuffles, acoustic riffs and some fine lead guitar.
Scott Bennett helped out in the latter days of the recording and you can hear that Beach Boys Influence in "Nothing I Can Do"
"Show Me A Sign" could be The Raspberries and has a great lead solo. EMILY is a real rock out. "Yesterday Ended" begins with a real Peter Green like Riff and then borders on West Coast wonder.
Out of character with the rest of the album, "The Turn" is almost 10 minutes of constant shifting, a Psych like masterpiece. really gripping.
The closer, "After The Lullaby", well. it could be Jackson Browne backed by The Beach Boys.
All in all, a really impressive debut album and I'm personally looking forward to plenty in the future.
You can listen to and then but the album at the band's website here. Alternatively, CD lovers can buy the album at the likes of CD Baby
Thank you for the great review Don!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. It's a great album
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