Kick It Like A Wicked Bad Habit. The Shang Hi Los

Two singles of this five song mini album already featured on this blog, 'Sway Little Prayer' and 'Skipping Records'. If anything, the two songs set the standard of what the listener can expect on Kick It Like A Wicked Bad Record, the title coming from the lead single, 'Sway Little Prayer'. The Shang Hi Los is a band of which all members play in other bands in the Boston area, with a love for music from circa 40 years and longer ago. The kind of music in which pop and rock mix like it was always meant to be this way. The knowledge of hindsight allows these musicians to combine the best elements of the past while adding their incredible talent to write great pop songs to the whole. The, I mean THE, example on this album is 'Funeral Home Mint'. The song rocks with the best of them, while pop oozes out of every bit of my digital copy. The tight playing and forceful drumming (Chuck Ferreira) and bass playing (Lou Harrington) give the song a superb solid rock feel. The harmonies between the singers Jan D'Angora and Dan Kopko bring in the pop side. Of course I can name several examples of influences, but I will not, as it will only take away from this incredibly great song.

The four songs show what a match made in heaven The Shang Hi Los is. The fifth and final song, is a cover version of Chicago's 'Saturday In The Park', that gets a, successful, The Shang Hi Los treatment. I do not know in how far this is a one off effort by people enjoying making music together, but the quality on the offer could make other bandmembers nervous. This is so good.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Kick It Like A Wicked Bad Habit here:

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/kick-it-like-a-wicked-bad-habit

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g