Should you be in search of another pop band that will steal your rock & roll heart as much as
Echo & the Bunnymen and
the Church did throughout the 1980s heyday of romantic post-punk, then
the Favourite Sons should leave you swooning in no time. The Brooklyn-based quintet features Justin Tripp (guitar) and Matt Werth (bass), both formerly of the neo-psychedelic group
Aspera; ex-
Rollerskate Skinny frontman Ken Griffin (vocals); Carmine DeGennaro (guitar); and A.J. Edmiston (drums). The Favourite Sons confront the typical book of daily hardships on
Down Beside Your Beauty. From the brooding
Leonard Cohen-esque "Tear the Room Apart" and the tearful regret of "Pistols & Girls" to brighter power pop moments such as "No One Ever Dies Young,"
the Favourite Sons make a daring first impression. They manage to channel hints of various post-punk styles without repetition. Having worked with James Oldham, grandson to famed
Rolling Stones producer Andrew Loog Oldham, on their debut EP Treason, it's nice to see that Victor Van Vugt (
Beth Orton,
Billy Bragg) kept the
the Favourite Sons grounded on
Down Beside Your Beauty. For further proof of what they're capable of, check out the brassy guitar riffs of "Hang On, Girl." Sure, it jangles like any great
Echo & the Bunnymen song, but with Griffin's aching heart yearning, "Take my hand/I'll do what I can/Hang on, girl/I know you've grown so tired of your fellow man,"
the Favourite Sons make indie rock fun again. ~ MacKenzie Wilson