Search - Koufax :: Social Life

Confident young popsters

Marc Kloszewski | Indiana, PA United States | 11/15/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was an impulse buy--I had never heard Koufax's music before, but I was pleasantly surprised--Social Life is a solid set of guitar/bass/keyboard pop songs that I guess could only be labeled as "alternative" today simply because this kind of pop music doesn't get played on the radio (hmm--maybe if their record company didn't promote them as being as "infectious as the clap"--just kidding!). I have noticed reviews of their other CDs seem to imply that Koufax's previous releases are a little more "emo" than their current one. I don't know about that, but the general mood I get from this disc is happy and optimistic, even when the topics are adultery or breaking off a relationship--the bounce, the jaunty keyboards and the chiming guitars are always in place. A few tunes drive a little harder--the title tune, "Break It Off," and "So Put On" (my favorite on the disc--love that intro)--but nothing too heavy--I'm thinking a less cynical and smart-assed Ben Folds, or of the lift I get from the Canadian band Sloan. Good company. The production is pretty much turn on the mikes and let 'em play; if you let these guys get a little creative in the studio, or have them under an inventive producer (for instance, if you're going to have such a long fade with repetition in the final track, why not spice it up a bit?), you could really secure a classic from these guys in the future. Until then, this is quite enjoyable."