The most commercially successful album from this band of Southern, indie rock veterans,
Living Room Scene combines some absolutely stellar '90s power-pop with tasty, '70s, stud-rock guitars and a big dollop of blue-eyed soul. The results make for an album that seems to have been created to fit the term "kick ass rock & roll." What stands out most among the slamming drums, crunchy six strings and melodic basslines, however, is lead singer/songwriter Greg Humphrey's incredibly dynamic voice. On the title track, Humphrey's powerful instrument blasts out of the speakers with a soulful rasp often reminiscent of the late, great
Steve Marriott. On the gorgeous ballad, "High School Sap," his voice wafts through the swirling neo-psychedelic guitars with a restrained delicacy. Overall,
Living Room Scene is filled with good vibes and warm sounds which should appeal to fans of the best music of
Badfinger,
Matthew Sweet and the
Small Faces. Recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, the record seems to have absorbed some of the famed studio's penchant for turning out spirited, gritty pop music with a gut bucket raunchiness. ~ Pemberton Roach