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The Layaways:
More Than Happy
The Layaways are a new band from the Chicago area, and they've just come out with an exciting debut album on Mystery Farm Records called More than Happy. The project, which is pretty much the brainchild of David Harrell, comes off as a carefully layered exploration of pop music with an emphasis on guitar and vocal melodies. The lack of what seems to be any fulltime drummer or bassist really doesn't seem to be much of a drawback here. The rhythms in songs like "The Truth" sound a bit like a drum machine, and the bass noises in most songs are kind of loud with a resonating tone that reminds me of New Order a bit, even though the bass notes are a bit slower and simpler than Peter Hook's. The Layaways don't really sound like New Order, except for the way the bass notes float over some of the songs, sparking the comparison. But these are just the backdrops to The Layaway's sound. The guitar is the most fun part. It often starts out acoustic and then comes in layered at the bridges with some juxtaposing electric chords that really give the songs their mood. This mood is mostly a calm sort of feeling where the vocals are hushed and melodic. As far as the lyrics, they have straightforward themes that you'd hear in most rock songs (love, regrets, etc.), which basically keep the songs balanced and familiar. The lyrical themes are enough to fill out the dreamy pop texture that The Layaways have come up with, but the basic concepts do prevent More Than Happy from becoming a little less than revolutionary. Overall, this album seems like the kind with potential to grow into one of those warm, friendly albums to throw on the stereo when you're in a pretty chill mode, but still want to hear some good new wave styled guitar noodling. Since I've been in that mood from time to time, I can imagine that this Layaways disc will be a welcome addition to my collection.
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