REVIEW: Rembrandts, LP (East West)
- Bob Gajarsky
The Los Angeles/Minnesota based duo of Danny Wilde and Phil Solem, better known as the Rembrandts, have burst back into the music scene with their third album, ironically enough titled LP.
The key track from the album which is most indicative of the Rembrandts style is "Don't Hide Your Love". Playing on a flurry of comparisons to Roger McGuinn (Byrds) and Tom Petty, the duo write the kind of should-be classic which top 40 radio desparately needs. Other tracks which show the Rembrandts can rock include "This House Is Not A Home", "Lovin' Me Insane" which employs a softer Led Zeppelin-like guitar riff as its cornerstone, and the first single from the release, "Comin' Home". It looked for a while that LP would be relegated to the same corner as the other two Rembrandts releases (Rembrandts, Untitled)
- criticially acclaimed, loved by a loyal audience which wanted more intelligent music coupled with harmonies - until a huge break came along.Of course, the reason why your younger brother, college buddies, or co-workers have heard of the Rembrandts is because of the 15th (hidden) track, "I'll Be There For You". The theme from the hit television show "Friends" has quickly catapulted the Rembrandts to airplay on nearly every radio station across the country. What started as a 40 second opening soon was "looped" by some radio stations to satisfy fans craving to hear this track on top 40, and, eight days before LP was originally supposed to be released (March 28), the Rembrandts went into the studio to transpose a 40 second blip into a 3 minute song. The resulting product comes out as a combination of two other 1960's groups - Herman's Hermits and the Monkees - with the same bubble gum sound associated with both bands. It'll be a runaway hit for the summer, but don't expect the remainder of the album to sound like this.
In conclusion - if you're a previous fan of the Rembrandts, you'll love LP. It's easily their most consistent release to date and the band wear their 60's influences of the Beatles and Byrds on their collective sleeves. If the first exposure to this duo is from "Friends", be prepared to open your minds, and let the Rembrandts harmonies and hooks take over.
