Search - Mother Hips :: Red Tandy

Sweet like Tandy

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 11/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've never exactly been wild about Americana and all rock connected with it. It generally seems a bit simple, downbeat and earthy for my tastes.



But I have to admit, the Mother Hips have a pretty wild sound in their "Red Tandy" EP, adding a powerpop vibe to some of their songs. The title is a charmingly catchy song, which is given a more grounded sound by some twangy guitar and dramatic musical style.



"Colonized" takes a rocki-ier turn, with a rougher vibe and a nasty, gritty riff that stretches out over the song, while "Blue Tomorrow" opts for a rippling, slightly surreal edge that distorts your basic Americana song. Finally we get an alternative version of the title song, which is a bit more stripped down and distant-sounding.



I have to say, the cover fooled me. With "Red Tandy" standing in front of a dandelion field, filled with people, I thought it was a psychedelic EP. Turns out I was wrong, but thankfully I was not disappointed in what I found -- very fresh, vibrant music and charming in places.



These guys know how to use guitars, whether the down-homey sound of the acoustic, or the twisted blistering riffs that they do on the electric. The vocals are probably what really take this out of the "ordinary" sound. I'm not sure exactly what these guys are shooting for, but they sound like a more country version of the Beatles, with good harmony and a fun singing style.



While a few more songs would have been nice, the "Red Tandy" EP is a fun diversion, and bodes well for their future music."