New Music Review

Strange Boys
Be Brave
In the Red Records
CD

The new release from Austin garage rockers The Strange Boys is something I've been anxious about hearing for quite some time. I've been looking forward to it with a bizarre mix of optimism and skepticism. You may recall this post in November, in which I detailed their curious lineup changes. Well now, the wait is over. Be Brave was released on CD on 3/2, and is slated for LP release on 3/16. I was tempted to hold off purchasing it until the record came out, but I just couldn't wait that long, so I went ahead and ahead and picked it up. And the initial verdict on the follow-up to the Strange Boys amazing debut ...and Girls Club? Well, to be honest, I was kind of disappointed.

But let's elaborate from there, shall we? Disappointment probably isn't a fair word to use. For one, nearly anything would seem disappointing in comparison to the Strange Boys first album. It's also worth pointing out that this one sounded a lot better on subsequent listenings. Overall, I guess it just wasn't what I was expecting. It sounds a lot more subdued than their debut, and that may have something to do with the fact that they no longer have their original drummer, Matt Hammer, who was a first class basher. There's nothing wrong with a mellow feel. In fact, there are a few fantastic tracks on this release. The titular track stands out the most. It's quite possibly the song of 2010 to this point. It's got a classic Strange Boys groove, and a saxophone solo by new band member Jenna Thornhill deWitt (ex-Mika Miko). Other highlights of the album include the opening track "I See" and "Night Might", both of which serve as reminders of why Strange Boys have been one of my favorite bands since the first time I heard them.

As for the songs that don't do all that much for me, I think I might be holding the band to an unfair standard. In some instances, it seems as though singer Ryan Sambol might be trying to bite off more than he can chew as a songwriter. Sometimes he makes attempts at being very poetic. Sometimes he succeeds, other times he doesn't. Even so, the songs that seem to have questionable lyrics, "Laugh at Sex, not Her" and "Da Da" are the first ones that come to mind, the musicianship is so much greater than other bands of the Garage genre that it doesn't really matter. I don't want to blast Sambol for taking chances.

All things considered, this is a pretty damn solid effort. There are a few great tracks, and a few not so great tracks, and all the stuff in the middle is pretty decent. Strange Boys...and Girls Club was my choice as the best album of 2009. Be Brave probably won't be my favorite of 2010, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it, per se. It just doesn't have as many standout tracks as the first one. It bears repeating that most records by most bands don't have as many standout tracks as that one did. So yeah, maybe I am a little disappointed by this record. But the real point that needs to be made here is the fact that I care enough about this band to be disappointed in the first place. This is a good record by a great band and you should buy it.