Stepping out of the shadow of your famous parents can be quite a tricky fete; founding memers of all girl group
The Like Elizebeth 'Z' Berg and Tennesse Thomas have had to do just that with their fathers, Geffen Records mogul Tony Berg and
Elvis Costello's drumer Pete Thomas respectively, and over the years hve gradually carved out a name for themselves with their groups brand of tough-girl rock group.
This is hardly a new concept, for example
Blondie and
Siousxie and the Banshees have already perected this style and modern groups such as
The Donna's have hardly lit the world alite and The Like have acheived similar mediocrity; despite a few early, catchy singles they have never managed to reach the dizziy heights similar to daddy's.
However new offering
Release Me could well be that injection of paz-az that the band needs to create waves in the music world. Produced by Mr Midas-Touch himself
Mark Ronson, its a huge slice of 60's influenced pop-rock that smells potently of the bands that influenced their fathers such as
The Kinks, The Animals and even early
Blondie. The hand-claps and jangly guitars are as infectious as the plague and make you want to rush out and throw on a mini skirt and go-go boots as album opener
'Wishing he was Dead' have you jerking and tapping along in pure adoration. Whilst tracks such as
Fair Game do still contain hints of the sound that first got people to like The Like (ahem), the album is a whole new direction and one that suggests that this could become a classic, not just now but for many years to come.
It is not only an improved sound, but Berg has really immersed herself in her song-writing abilities and offers more than just girly angst and 'oh he's such a dick' melencoloies; rather the diminutive front-woman sculpts modern songs but with a sound that harkens back to a time when style and music walked hand in hand and Release Me has both by the bucket-load.
Line-up changes has seen The Like evolve from a trio into a quartet and it is with the addition of bassist Laena Geronimo and Annie Monroe that see's the group finally come into their own as the front runners in the 60's influenced all girl fab retro band!
Like? You'll love them!
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