Felony Bebop Club-76 and Single
Self Released
2011

Felony Bebop Club is a good measure of what people should be thinking of when they think of New York bands. They have a very hip sound, one that I can see Pitchfork drooling over. They’re dirty and trashy while still being melodic and accessible.

The guitar sound is really crunchy, and though the music isn’t full of huge riffs, the guitar work is what brings me in. The guitar is really driving, using a slew of styles (punk, rock, glam, a little bit of surf) to mold the songs into what they are. The vocals are very laid back; with backing vocals used very sparingly until the last few songs. The last four songs (which are their four most recent and feature actual back up singers that recently joined the band) don’t quite go in a different direction, keeping with the trashy punk sound, but they’re much stronger and more coherent. The songs have more confidence and really show what this band is capable of accomplishing.

This is an album that really grew on me. I was pretty indifferent at first, but quickly got to know all the songs, realizing how good they actually are. Felony Bebop Club is a subtle band, but they’re much more than background music. I like their sound, and I really like where they’re going.

Written by: RF
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