Underhanded Romance

Scissors For Lefty is a rock 'n' roll party machine, one that runs on gasoline, cheap liquor, and BFF power. . Underhanded Romance feels both wildly fresh and instantly recognizable. There are touchstones -- the Cure-like guitar of "X's Are Forever," the Modern English breakdown of "You've Got the Moments," the delicate Beach Boys-ish ballad of "Bring Us a Brick" -- but more than anything there is exuberance and fun (remember fun?). Imagine the Strokes rip-snorting rock, if Julian Casablancas were smiling instead of sneering. Imagine the Gang of Four covering the early Kinks and Stones catalog, with a healthy dose of American mischievousness. Imagine pumping bass, chunka chunka guitar riffs, the kind of piano hooks that stay in your head for days, all topped off with Bryan's hiccupping, lascivious vocals.