Greater Than Collective (2015)
The fine folks from the band The Knew sent me their LP recently as I had written some nice things about a prior 7" of theirs that had come out on Snappy Little Numbers. While I'm not sure anything on this album hits me quite as hard as the two songs on that 7", there is no denying that Schmew is a fun album to take for a spin.
What originally drew me to The Knew, and what continues to be what I like most about this band, is their infectious party attitude. The energy very much reminds me of the band W.H Walker. The big difference is that where W.H Walker leaned more on older 60's rock references, The Knew take it a decade later and really seem inspired by poppier 70's glam. Cheap Trick and Thin Lizzy and all that. For a modern reference, this album reminds me a lot of the band Napalmpom, though I think The Knew pulls off this style of music significantly better.
While I'll admit to being partial to the songs that are heavier on the power pop side of things like "We're Coming Back" and I could probably do with a few less screaming guitar solos, the record as a whole is just an upbeat good time. While it's probably not the kind of record I can see myself listening non-stop on repeat (I'm just not as big on glam as some), if you are looking for a record to motivate you while you are dusting the living room, give Schmew a try.
The Knew - Schmew:
