Take A Look. Fast Eddy

With the title and opening song of this album Fast Eddy debuted on this blog. It was not a 1, 2, 3 for the album to continue, because would a whole album of the straightforward rock and roll manage to capture my attention for the whole ride? You have the answer right here.

Fast Eddy is a combo from Denver. Following up its 2018 debut EP 'Tooler', Take A Look is the band's first vinyl release. Micah Morris sings and plays guitar. Lisandro Gutierrez (guitar), Arj Narayan (drums) and Devon Francy (bass) make up the band. Together they clearly have a love for tough U.S. rock, with little parts showing a love for pop melodies, some Britpop here and there and ooh, ooh, ooh Dandy Warhol-like harmonies. The overall sound is one of twin guitars going at it with an overdub or two or three being responsible for pumped up rock and roll. The band itself compares itself to Thin Lizzy (listen to 'Frankie Died' e.g.) but The Rollin Stones of the early 70s or The Black Crowes and Gin Blossoms from the U.S. will do as well. What is missing is the (rhythm &) blues and soul that the latter two bands have within them.

The rock Fast Eddy plays makes them a kind of anachronism but not less fun to listen to them. The combination of fun and in your face is what keeps me on my toes for the whole of the way while listening to Take A Look. In the verses of each song the band already demands attention, which is broadened by each chorus and guitar solo. Or, as the bio writes, the album title is not a polite question, "it's a demand". Let me just repeat this observation. Take a look!, folks, you won't be disappointed.

Promo photo: David Sands

Take A Look comes with a warning from my side. Superficial listening may lead to a conclusion that the album is rather simple. Yes, it may seem to be just more platitudes in rock of things that may have come before and perhaps even better. To all that may fall into this trap, I say: Prick up your ears, mate, because you will find the intricate guitar work that enriches Take A Look. Many details have gone into the songs, making them a deserving addition to what came before. The hard work obviously paid off as Fast Eddy is contradicting its name big time. Slow, painstakingly detailed and precise Eddy is far from a cool name, but would have been more deserving.

Fans from all bands mentioned and even Guns 'N' Roses, minus the endless soloing, ought to find something of their liking on Take A Look. Fast Eddy surprised me with its album. I truly expected to have heard a nice single and that would have been, mostly, enough. It was far from. Take A Look amuses from beginning to end.

Wout de Natris