If you ever looked for music with humor, familiarity and appeal and cool beats to calm your ears, or an album which juggles genres of music without dropping the ball, ‘The Love Thief Sessions,’ an EP by singer-songwriter Eddie Grey is a perfect choice. It is or can be one of those albums that twists and turns into a good piece of work which aims to please and creates a salacious, youthful mixture for the hormones, heart and ears.
It’s mastered to show a collaborative statement of arrival, which in turn produced an array of feel-goods, songs that capture the essence of love, life and fun.
The first track, “Just Say It,” is a beach party hookup about a guy trying to sweettalk a girl into a relationship. When she refuses, he keeps the offer open with the line, “you can come back for more.” Which the song will make you do. It’s sunny, retro opener, guitar and all, makes for a good single, and a great lead into the album, although the listener will have no idea what they’re in store for from the forthcoming songs.
The number three track, “Freeway Like Minds,” opens up with a country progression and weaves into a nice, soulful, upbeat alternative sound. That changes some after the first verse, which gets a little more sensitive as the beat shifts some. Grey’s voice does well to spice up the song with a combo of gutsy lyrics and sexy vocalization, which adds to the rising playboy swagger track to track.
The swag continues on the sixth track, “Underneath the Sheets.” You can pretty much guess this one. The song is funky and stylish, and a little demanding, as Grey exerts bravado as he calls a girl in the hopes of an encounter. Again, Grey’s voice along with well-harmonized background vocals creates a coffeehouse melody, freshly brewed, steamy and very, very bold.
Eddie Grey and his mates have to be congratulated for clever attribution of elements of rock, pop, country, soul-funk and alternative among others, for funny, deep, sensual lyrics, for a variety of songs for a variety of individuals, for usage of all their potential. They work well together and create good music. What stands out about their music is that each song is able to flow coherently with balance, structure.
The next song feels like the end of a summer romance. “Guys and Girls,” the seventh track, is beautiful. It examines the boundaries between guys and girls, inevitable sexual tension and why friendships with the other gender can’t always work. The song doesn’t oversell a thing; the progression is simple, the vocals are simple, it stays at a nice tempo, doesn’t go too high or low. The perfect soundtrack to a breakup.
The EP is a good one, something meant to be enjoyed, which it was. But the sound is old. The songs are good, the intention is great and the result is splendid. It satisfies greatly. However, it’s not like it wasn’t done before. Anyone know the indie group Say Anything? Remember the group Living Colour and 1988’s “Vivid?” Some of you do. They were just as eclectic with their sound as Eddie Grey is now. Which is why, as a debut, the group should’ve used a stronger alternative to express their talents and define their sound.
Regardless, they’re good, and potential breakthrough is imminent.
LOVE THE ALBUM! Mary go Round and Hideaway are my fav