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Get On The Beat
The Fame
Independent release, 2005
REVIEW BY: Jason Warburg
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/17/2005
The Fame had one hurdle to get over with me from thestart… that uber-cheesy name. Granted, they're basically ahigh-energy, melodically-conscious garage rock band, so they almosthad to be called "The Something"… but really, "The Fame"? I kept lookingaround for Irene Cara or Debbie Allen, and neither one is anywhereto be found on this disc.
Instead what you get is a power-pop quartet that's obsessed withand descended from such genre luminaries as The Romantics, TheCars, The Go-Gos, The Replacements, The Gin Blossoms, (Tom Petty&) The Heartbreakers, and, well, I guess I'd better just getpast the name thing, huh? The more I listen, the more it fits. Asthe trusty bio sheet says, "Three minute songs. Two guitars. Onevision. Seems like a simple enough equation." It is, and it'sexecuted here with steady energy and panache by Reno Bo (vocals& guitars), Ryan Daniels (guitar & vocals), Patrick Wood(drums & vocals) and Alana Amram (bass & vocals).
Title cut "Get On The Beat" starts this disc off on a hotstreak, barreling into you on the strength of hammering riffs, big,meaty power-pop hooks and a sing-along chorus. Appealing stuff, allof it, and the only real flaw to this album is that it really isjust as simple as that. No keyboards, no strings, no mid-tempothought pieces or slow dreamy ballads or blues or folk or countryinflections anywhere, anyhow -- just a straight six-pack ofhigh-energy, steady-riffing, shout-it-out-loud three-minuterockers.
All right, there is a bare hint of variety. "Come On" slowsthings down slightly, though it still features prominent, heavyriffs and good vocal intensity. And "Easy On You" is a little moreexpansive than your average power-pop, what with its nimble guitarsolo and instrumental rave-up close.
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