The Strollers - EP

Definitely a CD you need to listen to on proper speakers to get the full flavour - the first time through I spent most of my time adjusting the graphic equalizer on the PC to get it to sound right, but on the huge speakers downstairs it sounds great. It's also a CD that gets better the more often you listen to it. The third time I was thinking, "hey this is pretty good". I'm currently on my sixth (or is it seventh?) time through, definitely into it, and wishing it was longer - the four tracks together last less than 11 minutes.

In terms of influences, the Strollers look back to bands like the Rolling Stones, and on big speakers the comparison sort-of comes across; the main difference being the way early recordings of The Stones tend to be very 'loose', with Jagger singing the words roughly when he felt it might be the right time. In comparison, the Strollers (each of whose members was brought up on a diet of classic rock and roll) is very much tighter, with very precise breaks and re-starts. In fact, the era that came to mind most strongly was the early indie-90s, with its strong jangly-guitar emphasis. Sections of the arrangement had me thinking of "The Wedding Present", and the melodies have the same simple but effective style, drawing you progressively into the rhythm. The lyrics themselves are inward-looking-contemplative, contrasting strongly with the speed and feel of their delivery.

The Strollers are scheduled to appear at the Boardwalk on April 15th (I'm hoping to confirm this as the most recent Boardwalk mail-out didn't have them listed), and they're definitely worth checking out. I hope to be there, seeing how the live performance compares with the CD, and hope to add to this review then.

See also: Review of Stroller's Fez gig.