The Decibels “Scene, Not Herd”
Sacramento, CA-based The Decibels were active from 1993–2001 and cut a trio of fine garage-styled power pop albums that were criminally overlooked. The sound combined 60’s Mod influences with 80’s angular guitar leads. Fans of The Plimsouls, Buzzcocks and Paul Collins Beat will enjoy the frantic tempos and sing-along lyrics. The band re-grouped in 2017 and continued from where they left off.
“Hey Emily” is a rousing opener that contrasts with the sad lyrics of middle-aged loneliness. The strong chords of “It’s Not Me” is one of the big standouts here, as the band is “trying to prove a point that went dull long ago.” The band’s Merseybeat tendencies come out on “Misery” with some nice chord shifts and three-part harmonies. Most of the songs are under the three-minute mark and push the energy limit, so it would’ve been nice to hear ballad amongst the dozen tunes here. However, most of the music is very good, and you can explore some of the earlier LPs on Bandcamp. Check it out!
Faux Co. “Radio Silence”
Chicago’s Faux Co. adds a perfect amount of fuzzy psychedelic grit and melodic hook in the opener “Prozac Spaceman.” The band consists of Ben Mackey, Chris Lee, Christian Whiting, and Jayson Homyak. Their music blends melodic pop with garage rock elements (and horns) for “Set The Record Straight.” These two strong tunes give this short album (only 8 songs) a solid forward momentum.
The catchy fuzz rhythm of “The Sun Will Come Back” leads to the Lennonesque ballad “Oh Mother Night.” The gorgeous harmonies are a highlight of “It’s Nothing Really” and it approaches epic dreamlike territory on the Oasis-like “Get A Say.” The music is consistently excellent as it concentrates on deep themes of apathy, creativity, love, and loss. Not a speck of filler here. Highly Recommended.
