I don’t know if you've noticed but we play piano now’ said frontman Ryan Sambol from the loft of Origami Vinyl. The Strange Boys were celebrating the release of their third album ‘Live Music’ via Rough Trade on Tuesday night, and the small store had of course reached capacity. The Austin’s quartet could not believe how quiet the crowd was, and after throwing a beer can to someone downstairs, they started playing a few songs, effectively keyboard-driven.
It was quite a shocking change and a continuity at the same time, since the sound of the new songs was still anchored in the 60s with Sambol’s boyish and peculiar nasal voice, close to a Dylan-esque delivery. However, with the use of the piano they suddenly sounded much cleaner and quieter, as if they were getting out of their usual grating rootsy-garage-rock crossed with an appealing modern punk attitude. After all the names dropped in the reviews, I was now thinking they sounded like …the Kinks may be! Suddenly it was more the slow and quiet side of the British invasion than gusty rockabilly and boisterous R&B!
Sambol's crazy croon was even unexpected on some songs, and we were informed it was the first time they were playing them live on piano. Their album may be entitled ‘Live music’ but it is not a live album, just an emphasis on the liveliness of the music.
They did a raffle to offer free CDs and tickets for their show at the Troubadour the next day, and then, switched to guitar mid-set to go back to their folkish-punkish delivery injected of harmonica, producing this chaotic road of the good old times.
Sure they want to try and extend their horizons, may be it was the novelty, but it was definitely when they were back to their original hybridized sound, with Sambol behind his guitar with his unique way to roll his eyes, that I liked them the best.
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