Do you ever get the feeling that a new song you're listening to sounds so great that it must be a cover of some old hit single, only to find out it's completely original? That's the feeling I got more than once when playing the debut EP from The Innocent, a.k.a Chicago singer-songwriter Michael Hardey.
In other words, Hardey and his band have a very good thing going on that you should know about.
Don't be fooled by the disc's noirish cover art. The Innocent play a very accessible blend of folk rock, pop and college rock that wouldn't feel out of place on a mix CD that includes the likes of Paul Westerberg, The Wallflowers, R.E.M. and Michael Penn.
The two strongest tracks - "Beautiful Lie" and "The West Coast" - kick off the disc. If you're a fan of melodic, intelligent pop with choruses that ingrain themselves into your mind after a single listen, you won't find much these days that's better than this.
The quieter moments, such as "Don't You" and "Tied Down," are less immediate, but still well-written, well-played tracks that warrant repeat listens.
Add excellent production to all of this and you have a rock solid debut from an artist who, with any luck, we'll soon hear much more from.
Check out The Innocent live on November 21 at The Underground Lounge and December 3 at Double Door.
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i saw these dudes at the beat kitchen. good show haven't heard the actual cd yet
ReplyDeleteI've seen these guys many times and can say with full confidence that the band gets tighter and more rocktastic with each show. Definitely worth checking out.
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