"Weird" is an overused word in culture these days, but there aren't many other words that accurately describe this first effort from These Modern Socks. The record as a whole plays the same trick on your ears as the band's name - you think you know what's coming, but then that odd moment comes. These Modern .... Socks? And wait, is this a "Tears For Fears" song?
The great thing about These Modern Socks is that they care about their songs, and wait until the songwork is finished before they add the crazy. The fantastically titled "Dr. Lawyer," for example, is a deceptively simple pop song, bopping steadily along; it's not until a couple minutes in that you realize the beats are as intricate as those on a Justin Timberlake record.
The band owes more than a little of its sound to bands that suck you in with their catchiness before throwing you for a loop. The record's highlight, "Big Talker," has a catchy chorus that will have you tapping your feet - until the song changes tempo for the third time, and you don't know where you are. But you find your place again, and again it's catchy.
The band momentarily loses steam once in a while, most notably on "That Will Never Change," which starts with an incredibly fast, seizure-inducing introduction and eventually tries too many formulas. You're too worn out by the time its great ending arrives.
The band ends the proceedings with "Head Over Heels," the aforementioned Tears For Fears cover. Who knows what possessed this accomplished pop band to try their hand at sub-par schlock, but they make it their own, and it the results are fantastic. "I never noticed how great this song is," you'll think to yourself. Then you'll realize: it never really was great. It's just in the right hands.
www.thesemodernsocks.com
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