Posted on: October 7, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Okay Paddy – Where You Went? / 2007 Prison Jazz / 5 Tracks / http://www.okaypaddy.com /

Okay Paddy play a brand of rock music during their “Dumbwater” that blends together acts like Weezer with Matthew Sweet to create a sound that is very well located in the mid to late nineties alternative rock genres. Unlike Weezer, there seems to be a little more energy in the arrangements during tracks like “Dumbwater”. This added energy flies in the face of the ironic type of apathy brought to the table by bands of Weezer’s ilk. Throwing in a horn at the end of the track, Okay Paddy further distinguish themselves from their influences.

Even when the band takes a slower tack, such as in the came of “Trounce Him”, the band decides to craft their own sound through the meshing together of the sound previously heard on “Dumbwaiter” and a folksy sound that has been realized by acts such as Devendra Banhart and Veda Hille. “You’re Losing Me” continues the string of hits that Okay Paddy have rode since the opening of the disc, but shows that the band is not one to rest on their laurels. Specifically, the use of strung-out guitar lines blended with an off-the-wall set of arrangements colors the alternative rock fo the band quite differently than during any of the other tracks on the disc.

“Them Faded Days”s trips a lot of the different sounds that the band had experimented with during the earlier tracks on the CD and allows the act to create an homage to their most important influences. However, rather than being a paint by numbers recreation of a Weezer, the band imbues the sound of that band with their own current sound and high energy. The result is as usual strong, and gives the band that added boost with which to end “Where You Went?” The five tracks on the disc are sufficiently strong to get individuals interested in the band’s upcoming full length. Here’s to hoping that they can continue their strong entry into the alternative music scene.

Top Track: Them Faded Days

Rating: 6.7/10

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