Here come
the Griswolds, a fuchsia-colored hand grenade of '80s-inspired pop, signed, sealed, and delivered from Sydney, Australia. Following the release of their
Heart of a Lion EP in 2012, the band's star quickly rose, receiving heavy blog love and charting well in both their home country and in Europe. The quartet signed on with mega indie Wind-Up Records and were in turn paired with producer
Tony Hoffer (
M83,
Beck,
Foster the People) to craft their debut.
Be Impressive is not only the neon-lit title of their first album, but apparently it's also the band's M.O.
The Griswolds aim for the rafters on songs like the thundering synth anthem "Right on Track" and the clubby "Down and Out." Strains of contemporary pop's biggest and brightest can be heard in their sounds: the chippy faux-
Graceland guitar punctuations of
Vampire Weekend, the bright synth pop bursts of
Passion Pit, the explosive electro-pop of
MGMT, and the radio-friendly soul-pop of
Maroon 5. This is music aimed at stardom, packaged for the world to enjoy, and you've got to give them credit for coming out with guns blazing. Many of the songs are very catchy with strong choruses and hooks that should gain them ample airplay and a firm footing on the world's stage. ~ Timothy Monger