The Like

It was James, one of my cohorts on Gone Elsewhere, who first brought The Like to my attention. They are a musical trio, all the daughters of people in the music industry, who formed a band when they were in high school. Their first full-length album, Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? was available on the Amazon marketplace for eighty-four cents, so it didn't take a huge investment to take a flyer on them and see if I indeed liked The Like.

And I do. I thought they might be a more bubblegum-ish act, especially given that the photos in the CD booklet depict them as if they had traipsed over from a Renaissance Fair. But the music, which was written by guitarist Z. Berg, is surprisingly muscular. The rhythm section, made up of bassist Charlotte Froom and drummer Tennessee Thomas, is mostly upbeat and peppy, but is ladled over dirge-like songs.

The opening track is perhaps most typical. Entitled "June Gloom," the drums beat out a cheery beat, but the guitar drones and the lyrics contain the refrain about the "end of days." (A note on the lyrics: it may be my hearing, my audio equipment, or a poor mixing job, but most of the them were indecipherable. It may also be because the vocals--all three women are listed as vocalists--are breathy and baby-doll-ish.) Many of the songs are in this vein, leading to perhaps the most over-the-top track, "Too Late," in which the vocals veer off into Bjork-like whimpers. So what we basically have here is a kind of catchy solipsism.

Another song, Under the Paving Stones, borrows the opening riff from The Clash's London Calling, but overall I don't sense a heavy punk influence.

According to their web site, which doesn't seem to have been updated recently, they are at work on a second album, which I look forward to. Their music would also seem to lend itself to a live show, so if they are playing in your town I recommend you check them out.