SPYMOB
Sitting Around Keeping Score
(Ruthless) 

An association with the production team The Neptunes via their N.E.R.D. side-project saddled Spymob with a funk label, when that could not be further from the truth.

Fact is, Spymob viz. John Ostby (piano, vocals), Brent Paschke (guitar), Christian Twigg (bass) & Eric Fawcett (drums), play the sort of expansive, sophisticated pop you’d expect from the likes of Todd Rundren, Hall & Oates, Jellyfish, Ben Folds Five, Fountains of Wayne and Steely Dan.

Let me assure you that there is no confusion in the halls of Power of Pop HQ, Sitting Around Keeping Score is a notch above your average sincere power pop collection.

Here’s why.

Ostby’s observations on the minutiae of life (rather in the vein of the Fountains of Wayne) where he comments on themes like the improbable future (“2040”), loneliness (“I Still Live At Home”), a car ride (“German Test Drive”) and Joe Namath (um…”Joe Namath”) keeps things on the boil.

These idiosyncratic quips are wrapped in fairly eclectic clothes –the epic driving “2040,” the soulful “It Gets Me Going,” the reflective “I Still Live At Home,” the highly mellifluous title track and so on.

Discerning pop listeners will absolutely lap up everything Spymob have to offer. Go to it! A www.spymob.com