The 88 - Over and Over The 88 are a refreshingly unpretentious modern rock/retro band from L.A. with an instinctive sense of Brit pop and American roots (or is it the other way around?). The band’s indie debut album Kind of Light was a colorful pop set that got them lots of TV and film exposure in the likes of “The O.C.,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and the Sarah Jessica Parker comedy “Failure to Launch,” among many others. Now Over and Over takes the still-unsigned band one step further with an impressive collection of upbeat, powerful and fun-filled pop songs – yes, it’s retro, but it still sounds fresh. Led by singer and guitarist Keith Slettedahl, there are influences aplenty, from the Beatles to Queen to Elliot Smith and beyond, but Slettedahl’s vocal and lyrical feel both skew closest perhaps to the Kinks’ Ray Davies, high praise indeed for any young pop band. The 88s material is sweet yet barbed, melodic yet rocking, as varied as the musical mind of writer Slettedahl, who with old schoolmate and keyboardist-guitarist-producer Adam Merrin, drummer Mark Vasapolli, bassist Carlos Torres and multi-instrumentalist Brandon Jay make up the band whose name they borrowed from a French Kicks song. The album’s opening track and single Hide Another Mistake is a good example of Kinks’ sensibility – vulnerability and irony in equal mix – while All cause of You grows into a tougher prospect while developing a rich melodic sense and emotional quality. There are moments too in the emotional resonance of Over and Over that recall their friend and sometime stage-mate Smith. Songs like the fiery “Bowls” and the Bowie-esque “Coming Home,” with its singalong chorus and jaunty rhythm, are irresistible pop canapés, as is “Nobody Cares,” perhaps the catchiest song on the album. Quietly grooving to their quirky hooks and deceptively friendly melodies, the 88 exude a charm and geniality that promises a bright future, even without major label support. These days, TV and the Internet offer wider exposure than most radio and, as mentioned, TV has already taken to the 88 in a big way. This sophomore release is a bright and confident effort, catchy and assured and, most of all, a lot of fun. Sound The bright and effervescent charisma of Slettedahl’s material, and his delivery of it, overcomes any sonic limitations. In a very positive sense, the album has a garage band energy and sensibility that gives a power and edge to the often Beatlesque arrangements and layering (perhaps they should get Geoff Emerick to produce the next record!). I actually wonder if they would really sound better if they sounded better.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:03:49 +0000
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