Album: Can't Come Down

Artist: The Parties

Label: Rainbow Quartz

Released: October, 2008

Reviewed by Sarah Miller (Vancouver Correspondent)

Formed in 2004 by San Francisco’s Jeremy Powers and Richmond, VA’s mod/garage rock drummer John Morgan, The Parties evoke the sounds of great sixties bands like The Kinks, The Who and The Velvet Underground.  After releasing an EP in 2005, Can’t Come Down is their first full-length album release.

The album’s opening track, 'Love for Sale' evokes the late 1960s Beatles sound, complete with lots of "Aahs", tambourine shakes and psychedelic guitars. The tracks ‘Damned by the Sunshine’ and ‘Radio’ blend the band’s sixties influence with a little bit more of a modern sound, without losing the ever present “oohs”.

You can certainly hear their love of 60s bands on Can't Come Down, and the distinctive 12 string and Rickenbacker-esque guitar sounds throughout the album. Fans of sixties-era groups like The Beatles, The Who and The Kinks will probably love The Parties, but if you're looking for a fresh re-invention of the sound you might want to pass.  On the whole this album is well produced and well written, a solid effort from two veterans of the indie music scene who know what they love and stick with what they know.

Track Listing

Love for Sale

Breaking Hearts

Cold Life

Yours and Mine

The Parties

Radio

Velvet Love Affair

Waterfall

Gotta Get Out

Damned by the Sunshine

Much Better

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