A rock band from the Big Easy...
After receiving a group of albums for review, I chose to listen first to Punches by World Leader Pretend. What little I had read about the band had intrigued me and I soon found out why.
This group of New Orleans boys has certainly studied up on what makes pop music so great. Although they hail from a city known for jazz, they have created a bit of a pop gem. Throughout the 14 tracks they incorporate several different instruments, some being as unusual to pop music as sleigh bells. Each instrument stands out and seems to dominate certain tracks. The album as a whole flows together to make one masterfully fun listen. It seems that these boys are not content with lots of filler material but rather have decided to rediscover the lost art of album making. Moments resembling Billy Joel, Coldplay, U2, Ryan Adams, and perhaps even a bit of Neil Diamond mingle together to form tight little numbers that stick with you after the disc has ended. Standout tracks include "Bang Theory" and my personal favorite, "Lovey Dovey". Unusual lyrics abound and keep the listener on their toes, never knowing where the music will go next.
Keith Ferguson's vocals are intriguing and almost irresistible as you attempt to figure out just whether you like them or not. Eventually you decide you do and that they are a perfect fit for the band he leads. Punches is a safe bet and also makes me wonder if these guys just might be one of next year's big hits.
World Leader Pretend has remarkable potential and I can only guess that their best days are ahead of them. For fans of good music and 70's classic pop.
3.5/4
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