Opening with the Devoesque ‘Let’s Live’ which is all new wave rhythms and hand claps with catchy choruses, you think you have a handle on The Brady Harris band and their new platter ‘NOHO Calling’ (that’s North Hollywood to you and me!) But the next track ‘Raise a Glass’ is pure barrelhouse boozer blues of the soft country lament variety, all crisp shuffle snare and sweet guitar and piano solos . It could be 1am and the bourbon has run out without it being messy.
‘Better Late Than Never’ switches again – a somewhat restrained driving song highlighting some tasty instrumental breaks. With ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ we perhaps return to a template that is probably close to understanding the Brady Harris mindset a brilliant cover that retains the underlying menace of the song whilst pouring it through the filter of bluesy tight guitars and a great lead break where the band are clearly enjoying themselves.
‘The Noho Sound’ changes everything! Full of local acronyms and places in the lyrics, the music is a soft harmony driven doo-wop sitting on a crystal clear jazz guitar. Beautiful and definitely subversive.
And so it goes, this album unfolds further with each listen and it is a journey I highly recommend. There is a whole but each of the parts however short and succinct is different and equally attention-grabbing, right up to the brooding instrumental closer of ‘Battle of Swankershim’. Recommended.
Summary
North Hollywood magpies pic n mix musical smorgasbord
