The Shys
Astoria
Sire Records
Three-and-a-half out of five stars
The best bands sing only what they know. And The Shys knows rock ‘n’ roll.
The Shys’ fuzz-distorted guitar is backed up by a punchy, midrange bass tone that sounds as though it was plucked right out of a garage record from 1969. The piano injects some tenderness into a few tracks, while the organ adds to the late ’60s garage sound.
The Shys has followed in the footsteps of The Von Bondies and The White Stripes in making tough, yet thoughtful, rock music that harks back to the earlier Detroit sounds of The Stooges and MC5.
But The Shys also seems to draw inspiration from late Beatles albums and the young Who, as well as more contemporary British bands, such as Pulp and Blur.
Though The Shys clearly borrows from these bands and others, it has still cultivated a sound of its own that follows this long line of sweet, sweet rock ‘n’ roll.
The Shys’ lyrics are sassy and self-assured, recounting nights of getting drunk and partying with friends.
The first song declares, “Tonight is ours and we’re never going to die,” with all the boldness and over-confidence that every young rocker should have.
“Waiting on the Sun” is a slower, more soulful track that touches on the same subject: “I’ll be waiting on the sun, ’cause it’s just too late to call it a night.”
But the album isn’t just about partying all night. The Shys also sings about women, politics and the band’s recent success (not at all like other rock bands).
Though Astoria isn’t the pinnacle of originality, The Shys gets the job done.
The band makes you wanna dance and it makes you wanna rock.
What else is there?
