Album Review: Loomis and the Lust – Nagasha

Loomis and the Lust are, to put it simply, confusing. They liken themselves to acts such as Butch Walker, The O.C’s house band Phantom Planet and their label even go as far as to describe them as a “more pop version of The Strokes”. Now I’ll tell you right now, Julian Casablancas himself could front the Santa Barbara quartet and that description would still be wrong in so many ways.

Opener ‘Bright Red Chords’ is a chirpy number, if slightly predictable. Admittedly, the chorus does make a half hearted attempt to lodge itself in your brain, but just hasn’t got enough life to it to stick in your head for any great amount of time. A Santana esq. stab at a Rock/Blues fusion, ‘Break on Love’, isn’t terrible but the lyrics are clichéd and it lacks a chorus of any real quality that would have set it apart.

‘Sweetness’ is more a more impressive offering, with a rhythm that pulls you along and a half decent guitar solo that gives it the rock n roll vibe that the band are obviously looking for. ‘Cure for Sale’ is an attempt at a slower, more chilled out style but a dull and repetitive chorus proves its downfall. ‘Girl Next Door’ is the records saving grace. Fast-paced and with a rocky edge, this track encapsulates everything the band seemingly tried and failed to achieve on the rest of the songs. Think Datsuns toned down a few decibels.

‘Nagasha’ is not unpleasant, in fact the whole affair has quite a cheerful feel to it. The problem Loomis and the Lust face is that their brand of happy-go-lucky rock n roll is pretty forgettable, and with nothing particularly unique to their sound they really aren’t much to shout about at all.

2/5

'Nagasha' by Loomis and the Lust is available now.

Loomis and The Lust on MySpace.

Liam McGarry