Try as we might, no one here can think of a name more British sounding than
Jarvis Humby. He clearly must be the king of mod-swingers, this
Humby character. What you say?
Jarvis Humby is actually four blokes? Well then, they've set themselves up to quite a task with a name like that. They even put images of
Keith Richards,
the Who,
the Beatles and a friggin' Union Jack on their album cover. Fortunately, these
Humby boys deliver everything they promise. Pure liquid adrenalin R&B, complete with fuzzed guitars, white-boy blues vocals and an omnipresent Hammond that coats everything with a 1964 flavor. "99 Steps to the Sun" could be the official follow-up to
? & the Mysterians' "96 Tears," but they don't leave it at that. Opener "We Say Yeah!" is excellent if typical garage rock until the closing holler of "Yeah, yeah yeah" that you can imagine soundtracking the toga party scene in Animal House (originally filled by Lloyd Williams' "Shout"). "These Eyes" sounds like
R.E.M. sounding like
the Byrds, with it's antique 12-string tumble and "The 4th Man" is pure spy show/surf guitar goodness. Coming complete with white pants and Fender reverb,
Jarvis Humby will make you want to grow your bangs, pop a couple of pep pills and head on down to Brighton to dance around and fight with the rockers. Vintage! ~ Joshua Glazer