The 75s – Extra Fancy (Self Released) 2008. The 75s are one of the best bands currently playing in Saint Louis. They play in a self-professed “girly pop” style…think Cub or Tiger Trap or something. There’s also a little bit of edginess to some of their riffage that points to bands like the Breeders although this is more pronounced live than on the CD. I’ve seen them live twice now and both times they have been very entertaining, fun and completely unpretentious. I guess that is probably what I dig about them the most. The sheer unpretentiousness of the band. I don’t like people that are too big fer’ thar britches being from the Show Me State an’ all.
Honestly though, pretentiousness doesn’t bother me at all as long as it’s backed with some skill. I generally embrace a little stand-offishness with my music. If I wanted everyone to hold hands and sing kumbaya, I woulda probably been a hippie. So maybe it’s just refreshing for me to see a band like the 75s because it falls outside the usual poncy, pretentiousness that is my day to day currency. I dunno. It also doesn’t hurt that their songs kick ass.
In fact, the sheer kick-assitute of these songs is pretty apparent the minute you pop this CD in the player. For a band that has been together a relatively short amount of time, they have written a great batch of songs. Both Morgan (bass) and Laurel (guitar) sing, although the majority of the songs on the CD are by Laurel who really comes off as the lead singer in concert. The top song on the CD though in my opinion is The Lonely One and it is Morgan’s all the way. The sheer honesty and sincerity of that song is pretty shocking to my post-modernist, irony-laden ears.
The rest of the songs are more up-tempo girly-pop, garage rock numbers. They are all instantly catchy and fun. One of my favourites is Oh Tommy O which I have also included. Laurel chugs along on this song like all others, rocking the bar chords and keeping it minimal. Morgan and Scott, once the drummer in Long John Thomas and the Duffs, hold down the rhythm in a similarly minimalist style. The melodies are catchy. The packaging of the CD is exceptionally girly and bright. It’s starting to look like summer is right around the corner. What else could you need?
