Megan’s Top 70 of 2010: #54 - The Strange Boys

Why I Decree it to Be So:

Like 50s and 60s rock classics ripped from the AM dial and run through a bratty modern blender, Be Brave continues to highlight the gift The Strange Boys has for petulant rock panache. From the standout snarl and twitchy guitars of title track "Be Brave" to my personal favorite, the rollicking herky jerk of "Night Might," Be Brave is quite a sassy little rock & roller. If you're like me and enjoy a little brazenly cheeky impudence with your rock&roll, well, this here record's got it in spades. It's deliciously audacious.

mp3: Night Might (The Strange Boys from Be Brave)

100 Shows of 2010 - #67: Those Darlins/The Strange Boys/Gentleman Jesse & His Men @ Black Cat, 9/15/10

I'm nearing the last leg of this 100 gig odyssey, and as you know I've been lucky enough to witness quite a few totally radical shows. A few have even been downright stellar. Number sixty seven was rather special, even compared with the other special ones, my little lambs. Not only was I once more in the presence of my esteemed partner in blogging, but also in the presence of not one, not even two, but three killer bands. Oh yes. I said three. Atlanta types Gentleman Jesse & His Men, Texans The Strange Boys, and the totally girlcrush-worthy Nashvillians Those Darlins (and their token dudes, of course, who are also crush-worthy). This show was so splendiforous, so dang rockin', that not even the totally weird, awkward vibe in the crowd (and it was decidedly weird) could ruin the amount of severely fierce rock that those ladies and gents put out. It took me days to recover, frankly. I was rocked out.

MINI RECAP: Gentleman Jesse & His Men = Yabba! The Strange Boys = Dabba! Those Darlins = Do! Overall Score: A

I missed, sadly, virtually all of the set belonging to Gentleman Jesse & His Men. However, the scant few songs I saw served as a hint of the sheer balls-out, sexy rock that these young men can put forth. I'd liken them to Rick Springfield (think "Jesse's Girl" but actually cool), with a big, catchy sound and plenty of cheekiness. Further investigation is definitely needed, but I was well impressed with what I witnessed.

The Strange Boys followed, and it was during their set that the weirdness in the club began in earnest. There was a little bit of a disconnect between the crowd and the bands, though with The Strange Boys it extended to the staff, too, as they were ignored after requesting more lights so they could see the crowd's purty faces. Lighting aside, my (impatient) wait to see the band was rewarded with a delicious dose of retro-fitted rock and roll purity. The shambolic edge was present in spades, but so too was the polish that sets The Strange Boys apart from plenty of other soundalikes. I'm still counting my lucky stars to have heard my beloved "Night Might" and "Poem Party", along with "Nights In Paris", "Be Brave", and a heaping helping of other goodies. Their remarkable nonchalance about playing wowed me, as I've said before it's like they don't even try, and yet they are so very, very good at what they do. It's effortless, but with a little sneer. They shimmied and shook and rocked and rolled and by the time they were done, I loved them more than ever.

And then, to top it all off, came Those Darlins. These little ladies have beguiled the both of us here at LET, and having never seen them live before I was beyond excited. And these hot mamas most certainly did not disappoint. Oh no. I mean, any band that literally has the lights turned on to get them off the stage is impossible not to love, right? These gals were intent on causing a ruckus, and they did their due diligence. The set was soaked in sex and booze and rabble-rousing, and lordy me it was sensational. Their rocky twang was in fine form, pitting their trio of come-hither vocals with down and dirty rock, filthy hints of the blues, and a bit of Nashville for good measure. "Wild One" was the highlight of a thoroughly bitchin' set for me, being as it is one of my favorite songs these days. And hell, just cuz they're sweet don't mean they're always nice, you know. Even if they did bring Nikki's mom up onstage for a little tambourine playing. These girls are definitely whisky rock-a-rollers, to quoth my dear Skynyrd, and they rock harder than most bands around. Can't say enough good things about 'em.

I'll keep it brief. Go see these bands. End of story. Oh, and you're welcome.

mp3: Who's That Knockin At My Window (Daytrotter) (Those Darlins from Those Darlins)

Live Review: Those Darlins, Strange Boys, Gentleman Jesse; Black Cat; 9-15-10

If you don't want your ass rocked off on a Wednesday night, don't go see Those Darlins on their latest tour with the Strange Boys and Gentleman Jesse & His Men. While the overall small crowd might have fooled you at first sight, you know it's been a full night of entertainment when the sound guy turns on the lights and tells the band that it's time to call it a night.

Unfortunately, i missed the first bit of openers Gentleman Jesse & His Men, but let me tell you, what i heard was good stuff. While all three bands of the evening had an early rock vibe going on, GS&HM attach a nice, sped up, punk edge to their live sound, which kept the crowd rocking for their short set. Think early Elvis Costello. All in all, a great band to start the night, full of piss, vinegar and a winning stage presence. i'll be interested to catch these cats the next time they hit the scene.

Second bill Strange Boys, while equally talented, didn't seem to make quite the audience connection of the other two acts of the evening. This resulted in overly long pauses between songs filled with silence, requests from the band to turn on the house lights (to better see the crowd), and, quite frankly, an overall uneasiness. Sure, the music was great, adding their own touch of fuzz and Americana to that aforementioned '50s rock vibe, but it certainly didn't seem like the band was enjoying itself much on stage, which was a shame.

The crowd, obviously, was there to see Those Darlins, as the frenzied rush to the front of the stage at the start of their set attested. i'm not sure if i've ever seen that few people in the club that close to the stage, but there you have it. The ladies ran through predominantly new songs from their upcoming ("in the next few months") LP and just released 7". As i mentioned reviewing that 7", the new sound is more ominous, spooky, sultry and dirty all at the same time. Sounds like the ladies have gone a bit swamp for this one. The band interacted effortlessly with the crowd, each member jumping into the crowd and playing frantically for extended periods, and the audience ate it up. Well, except for one ass hat that kept shouting, "You suck!," but i got the feeling that was some inside joke with the band. If it wasn't, well, that guy was a maroon. Apparently, it was family night, as Nikki Darlin brought her mom on-stage for a few numbers at the end, playing tambourine and seemingly having a blast. Those Darlins came back for two liquor fueled encores, and undoubtedly would have stayed longer had the bar staff not wanted to go home.

Those Darlins, they're some wild ones, indeed.

mp3: Put Your Hands Together (Gentleman Jesse & His Men from Introducing Gentleman Jesse)

mp3: A Glass to You (Those Darlins from Daytrotter Sessions, 3-19-09)

mp3: Redlight Love (Those Darlins from HearYa Sessions, 1-11-09)

mp3: Wild One (Those Darlins from Those Darlins)

Album Review: The Strange Boys – Be Brave

I’ve thought about this quite a bit, and after much consideration I think my favorite thing about The Strange Boys could very well be their brattitude. Cuz let’s face it, y’all, there’s something really kinda bratty about the way they make music. It’s not just that they’re all pretty dang good at what they’re doing. It’s almost as though they play in a way that almost mocks how good they are, as if they’re scoffing at what they’re doing. And then there’s Ryan Sambol and that little rapscallion of a voice of his. Scratchy and nasal and almost jeering at times, Sambol’s voice anchors the perfectly-produced grit and grime and retro-worship that runs rampant all over Be Brave. And I tell you what, brothers and sisters, this band can be as bratty as they wanna be if they keep making music this good.

I’m writing about this record on a Sunday afternoon, and it seems a pretty dangum perfect Sunday afternoon record. It’s not too jarring (save, of course, for Sambol’s pleasantly vexing voice), its’ rhythms are on the subtle side, and it would make a perfect soundtrack to a pitcher of mimosas and some good conversation among hungover friends. Then again, it’d probably sound just as good on any other day of the week, so don’t feel like you have to reserve Be Brave for brunch alone.

As you might expect, Be Brave definitely takes all sorts of cues from all sorts of places. You’ve got the strident, plucky guitar found both in 1950s rockers and rollers and those lovable 60s Brit Invasion types playing hide and seek all over the record. A dissonant sax makes an appearance in (super awesome) title track “Be Brave”, and somehow makes perfect sense. “Friday In Paris” sounds a whole lot like The Kinks and The Small Faces, with just a hint of front porch country thrown in for good measure, and that’s a whole lotta alright with me. I go nuts for that irrepressible jangle of “Night Might” and the near-howl of Sambol’s vocals and it’s rapidly becoming my favorite track on the record. They’ve twisted and manipulated various elements to come up with their own delightful sound, and what a dandy little noise it is. Is it too soon to already be lookin forward to their next album? Cuz I am.

mp3: Be Brave (The Strange Boys from Be Brave) (Link removed by request...TWICE! Hey kids, don't look at us)