Posted on: March 19, 2010 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

The Guys – Live The Party / 2006 Friendship / 12 Tracks / http://www.theguysmusic.com / Reviewed 21 July 2006

Are The Guys a band more influenced by The Knack or The Ramones? “Unloaded” starts off “Live The Party”, and mixes parts of Roy Orbison, the aforementioned Knack and Ramones, plus The Vapors to make something that is current while still relying on earlier styles. The production is perfect, allowing the band to sound professional without taking too much of the band’s sound away from them. The Guys do not drive a specific style into the ground,, but add a synth to tracks like “Unloaded” to keep things interesting and show that they are not one-trick ponies. “Off Limits” is much more low-key, with The Guys coming through with a style that ties together Elvis with surf to make an entirely new blend.

The style is again something that is made even more interesting at the end of the track, as The Guys break free of the time signatures that have limited them in the past and increase the chaos by mixing together sets of vocals. “Way Down Low” has an interesting artificial sound to it, as the clapping sounds pulled straight from a Casio. Throwing in a funky bass line to the churning sound of The Guys, there is little that the band cannot do. Hell, with “Way Down Low”, The Guys even make the sound of acts like Fine Young Cannibals sound fresh. I had almost decided when I first picked up this album that The Guys were going to be hacks; by the time that “Out of Order” finishes, I was firmly in their court. Their eclectic style is just not anything that is currently heard in music. The ability of the band makes this effort solid throughout the disc, as opposed to being strung-out and lackluster.

Each of the tracks on “Live the Party” could be on pop radio; The Guys have made a disc that is the sleeper hit of the summer. What The Guys remind me of is of Huey Lewis and the News in the eighties; both acts combine solid arrangement and writing styles with a pop outlook on life. The fact that The Guys do not have a steady style on “Live the Party” is a good thing; it means that they could continue to cut albums without sounding tired or stale in the least. Saying that, I hope that the band is able to capitalize on the successes of “Live the Party” without trying to stray too far from the style that they cultivated throughout the disc.

Top Tracks: Out of Order, Baby Girl

Rating: 7.3/10

[JMcQ]

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