Please
Broken Little Songs
Self-Released
One can only guess that the title is in reference to the number of heartbroken songs on this album as there is nothing disjointed about this record’s flow. You will need to file Please in the “under the radar” category as this is a really good group that nobody has heard of –yet.
Vocalist Donnie Stroud displays plenty of charisma, but he uses it mainly to trick you into snapping your fingers to two-fisted putdowns like “Flush” and “Like I Fucking Care,” both of which are much more melodic than you’d think. Despite the bitter lyrics, Please are not punk. Stroud is supported by a group of players with keen melodic instincts, peppering the retro guitar rock with party trumpets and upbeat keyboards. It’s hard to compare Please to any particular group right now although they do have a familiar sound.
Obsession seems to be a running theme with Please here, unable to let a girl go on “Glue” and “Song for Dean Martin.” If these tunes were inspired from real life, at least they’re writing about those agonizing situations with a smile (albeit a deranged one) on their faces. It’s a breath of fresh air, actually, compared to the constant whining one hears in alternative music these days, especially from the pop-punk and emo camps.
Please don’t really fit in with 2007’s musical landscape, and that’s probably among the reasons why I enjoy listening to them so much. They’re an alternative to the alternative.
Please: http://www.pleasetheband.com
