The Like : Release Me

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/thelikereleaseme.jpg" alt=" " />The Like revive the girl group sounds of the early sixties on <i>Release Me</i>. ...
7.2 Downtown
2010 

The Like : Release Me The girl group sounds of the early sixties have long had a bad rap, as they were overwhelmed first by the hippie & rock revolution of the late sixties, and then also the feminist movement of the seventies.  Like the Rat Pack, girl groups were seen as a symbol of the old, ‘establishment’, sanitized culture – only instead of retaining the macho nostalgia of the likes of Ol’ Blue Eyes, they were derided even more as Barbie-like eye candy.  So when the daughters of rock insiders decide to adopt the sound, you know there’s going to be plenty of haters out there (and not just the knee-jerk hipster-hate).  But there was – and is – a reason girl group sounds are enjoyable, and The Like show it off on their sophomore release, Release Me.

The Like’s 2005 Geffen debut, Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking, was best known for being the product of singer/guitarist Elizabeth ‘Z’ Berg (daughter of Geffen A&R man and producer Tony Berg), bassist/singer Charlotte Froom (daughter of producer Mitchell Froom), and drummer Tennessee Thomas (daughter of Pete Thomas, longtime drummer for Elvis Costello – QRO album review note: at least she’s still a drummer, though…), but its indie-rock could even please girls who don’t like the girl in a band – and especially don’t like all-girl groups.  But then came a very long hiatus, in which Froom left, with only their country-rock contribution to War Child compilation Heroes (QRO review), "You Belong To Me".  So little presaged their shift in to the early sixties – though you’ll know it the minute you see them on stage (QRO photos).

But, while The Like do mostly sing about boys & girls & relationships, they flavor that with some more biting kiss-off in Berg’s lyrics, such as on opener "Wishing He Was Dead" (note: it’s about her making him wish he himself was dead…) or the synth-ier (courtesy of keyboardist Annie Monroe) following "He’s Not a Boy".  But the band is best when they go full-bore for the catch, such as the standout "Walk of Shame", which makes said walk sound practically inviting

When The Like get away from their catch, usually in verse, their songs suffer.  "Boy", single "Release Me", "Trouble In Paradise" and other songs all see the choruses catchier than the verse.  And the girl group sound can get a little repetitive & unremarkable, such as middle songs "I Can See It In Your Eyes", "Fair Game", and "Square One" – but never not enjoyable.  Plus, the band shows some variety, like the press of "Trouble", march of the following "Catch Me If You Can", and the verging into seventies subsequent "Don’t Make a Sound", not to mention the fifties-dark earlier piece, "Narcissus In a Red Dress".  And bonus points to The Like for putting their hidden track, "Why When Not Love", only a few seconds after "Sound", and not making the listener either fast-forward or skip to the end.

The Like made a very distinct decision to go girl group on Release Me, and that’s obviously going to put off some people, similar to actress Zooey Deschanel aping old-style country-croon as She & Him (QRO live review).  And the singular sound can blend together somewhat.  But if you can get past the hate unthinkingly directed towards the style, or towards their lineage (or towards their name, adopted from the most annoying & ubiquitous of teen verbiage…), you’ll find yourself, yes, liking The Like (okay, have to get past that pun, too…).

MP3 Stream: "Walk of Shame"

{audio}/mp3/files/The Like – Walk of Shame.mp3{/audio}

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