Music Reviews
The Busy Signals

The Busy Signals

The Busy Signals

Dirtnap

Pop music is not an insult. Some of the greatest songs ever written originated as radio friendly, hummable mainstream bits of happy fun. “I Want You To Want Me” by Cheap Trick, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys, “That’ll Be The Day” by Buddy Holly and anything from the first few Beatles albums. It’s just Pop Music – period. Somewhere along the line all of these extra adjectives have been tacked on to help us all explain and define how a band sounds. Not just to compartmentalize the music, but to carve a nice little niche for ourselves that we’re comfortable being inside.

Chicago’s The Busy Signals torpedo the boundaries of modern music, and bring it all back down to its basics. Their self-titled Dirtnap Records release is 12 songs of fun, catchy, singable words and danceable music. It’s got modern shades of punk rock and glam with hints of early R.E.M. mixed in, but in its soul is the powerest of pop.

Frontwoman Ana McGorty leads her boys with the ease of Debbie Harry (complete with the romance with a band member – she and bassist Jeremy Thompson are dating/have dated), and it’s her sexy, darker Belinda Carlisle voice that will be the first element of this band to grab you. Once hooked, “So Pointless,” “Got It All Wrong” and “Look the Other Way” are sure to sink you.

Dirtnap Records: http://www.dirtnaprecs.com


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