Thursday, December 1, 2022

Album Review: Harry Katz and The Pistachios - Scared of Romance

Harry Katz and The Pistachios
Scared of Romance
*** out of *****

The first studio album from the Los Angeles based outfit Harry Katz and The Pistachios is a kaleidoscope of flamboyant rock as Scared of Romance touches on multiple genres musically and topics lyrically. 
  
The album kicks off with the humorous group theme song setting the tone for what is to come from the rough and tumble Katz on guitar/piano/vocals and The Pistachios who include, Nick Crnko - Drums / Back up Vocals / Additional Vocal Arrangements, Vinnie Stevens - Bass, Gilbert Louie Ray Back up Vocals, Phoebe Silva - Lead Vocals on Scared of Romance, McKail Seely - Back up Vocals, Madeleine Mathews - Back up Vocals, Kyle Zimmerman - Tenor & Baritone Sax / Additional Horn Arrangements, Ralph Watkins - Trombone, Joel Schnaper - Trumpet. 

That retro big band idea along with a smirking sense of playfulness flows throughout the album. "Homeless Baby Girl" sounds like The Stray Cats fronted by Tom Waits while the title tracks duet with Silva covers modern dating woes around theatrical horn breaks and a large chorus; expertly juxtaposing gruff and smooth vocals. "Rest Of The World" flaunts infectious surf rock guitar around the gorgeous background vocals and horn arrangements while "No Sir" motors like a train with slight punk energy and shout along lyrics.

On the flipside the band can go overly dramatic, to their detriment on the sluggish "This Whole Time" but with interesting complexity on "OH YES!". That song starts with a fifties doo-wop bass groove before moving through big band inspired horn parts and raucous hard rock break downs, resulting in an odd, yet inspired journey. 

The group does a little bit of everything with a funky, deep bass and horn fueled dance number "Fish Wall" before a throw-everything on the floor hoedown closer "That's Too Darn Bad" which plays in the vein of Squirrel Nut Zippers and delivers a dynamite trumpet solo.       

Scared of Romance finds Harry Katz and the Pistachios clicking and whopping it up, cutting a rug and letting it all hang out as the outfit, along with producer Mike Post, mixes modern and retro sounds winningly.  
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