Customer Reviews

Get It

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The Lashes seem to know they're not going to change the world. They're not terribly profound and their lyrical thoughts aren't especially deep. The focus is on girls and romance -- gone right or more likely wrong -- and that's been fertile ground for plenty of bands. But if there's a higher power in the universe, the Lashes are going to shake a lot of rear ends coast-to-coast. Their debut CD "Get It" is just plain fun. The band delivers punky, power pop blasts that get you moving and singing along in tracks like "New Best Friend," "Please, Please, Please," and "The World Needs More Love Letters." But it's the first single, the super-catchy "Sometimes The Sun" that really made me swoon. That track convinced me to trudge down to an in-store appearance by the band in Portland (OR) where I discovered that the real treat with these guys is live. On a stage the size of a postage stamp they delivered a short set that made a few things very clear: Ben Clark is a natural, an engaging front man with a great sense of humor; the band is tight, with loads of musical muscle; and there's a vibe of...something really solid about them as a band, like they really are a bunch of music geeks who just love to play and always have each other's backs. In the gloomy Pacific Northwest where, let's face it, the sky is gray for most of the year, for me these guys are like the clouds parting to bring in some much-needed sunshine.

GET IT is the album playing at the end of one of those the angst-driven teen flicks, when the sun is setting and there's that big pan shot of the car crossing over the bridge and the main character has that look on his/her face that says: "Yeah, screw everyone, I'm gonna do whatever I want." It's danceable, infectious and the harmonies totally rock. Every song is about a girl. A girl breaking your heart. A girl inspiring a brilliant moment. A girl leaving for you something better. A girl stalking you in the grocery store... Its juvenile honesty a la John Cusack is kitschy, melodic craft at its best.

In addition, these guys put on a hilarious and inspired show. I've seen them here in Seattle and in Portland recently and I am in love with every single one of them. Definitely one of my favorite pop albums so far this year.

I think it's strange/funny/sad that cynical old hatin' art-rock critics are taking the time out of their day to say ANYTHING about this album. Dear bored, grudge-having critics: Go out to your obscure local vinyl basement, grab all the limited edition 7-inches from the back corner of the store, then head home to revel in the glory of your own self-importance by reviewing those albums for your local zine. Leave the Lashes alone! Oh and before you go to bed tonight, wipe that nagging chip off your shoulder... I'm sure you'll all feel better about yourselves tomorrow.

After meeting the Lashes, I am sure that they'd still invite the critics over for a drink and a heated debate. And that's why this band rocks.

Nuff said.

Get It was long awaited by many patient...and in my case, impatient...fans. Now that its finally out, we can all party.

This album is worth its weight in powerpop gold. Each song has something unique about it - for example, Nate's solo in Daddy's Little Girl. All of the twelve songs transition perfectly into one another; New Best Friend is an energetic opening to the album, and Wanna Girl is a satisfying finish.

To clarify: there will be a lot of people who wont like this album. You can't take it too seriously, its just a slew of super fun, dancable pop songs.

I actually saw them perform live at Spaceland where they're playing every week before I heard the album and I instantly became a fan. I honestly wasn't expecting much with their hipster get-up but with the lead singer Ben's charismatic personality and the catchy songs with lyrics like "Please please please let me get what I want" I was swept off my feet and sold to The Lashes!

I find that a lot of bands these days will put out albums with two or three good songs with the rest being fluff and fillers but Get It is definitely a solid debut album; asking me whether I like Please Please Please or Dear Hollywood is like asking me which one of my arms I like better. YES that good.

If you're in the LA area, it's a must that you check them out at Spaceland and then get GET IT!

I picked up this album based on the cover alone, not really knowing what I would be listening to. It's pretty bold (but not completely original) to stick a crotch on the cover of your album to get some attention. There is something I LOVE about several of the songs and that is the RETURN OF THE GUITAR SOLO!! The evolving nature of song writing has buried this little phenomenon that I miss very much. Listen closely for the intricate little melodic keyboard/guitar layering in 'Pretty Girl' and some really ear-pleasing Beach Boys harmonizing all throughout, most notably in 'Sometimes the Sun', 'Love Letters' and 'Wanna Girl'. I was surprised by a catchy call-response chant in 'Daddy's Little Girl' and some very Beatles-esque energy in 'Nate's Song'. I am a little disappointed that except for maybe 'Safe to Say', the songs can start out a little sluggish. That being said there is great momentum and climactic energy buried within each one. 'Dear Hollywood' throws a piano ballad a la Ben Folds into the mix that has frontman Ben Clark crooning "Dear Hollywood, I'm telling you the girl next door is on her way..." I would really be disappointed in the derivative quality of the music if it were done with less effort and talent. I'd like to see something more risky and interesting from these guys in the future, but this is a really good pop album. Favorites: Nate's Song', 'Safe to Say', 'Wanna Girl'.

Ohhh c'mon, admit it--sometimes you've got a sweet tooth for cute boys singing cute songs about girls. If that describes you, The Lashes' "Get It" should feed your addiction nicely!

Granted, The Lashes' main appeal is to the young, estrogen-fuelled crowd. But as an "adult", I can say that they've even found a spot in MY heart. I saw them open for The Living End and they really do put on a great live show. Tons of energy, very tightly organized--which is impressive for a band that has so many members! Ben is a very engaging frontman; totally works the crowd and clearly has fun doing it. The occasional banter between Ben and keyboard/vox Jacob demonstrates further that these guys have fun, don't take s#&% too seriously, and love what they're doing.

Sure, they're poppy, but these guys are talented! The album has great melodies, fun call-and-response hooks, heartfelt vocals, and "Pretty Girl..." has been stuck in my head for a week (which is kinda ironic--did they mean do to that? I wouldn't doubt it!). I guarantee that you'll be singing along in no time.

Bottom line: if you take yourself too seriously, you may not like these guys. If you want an album that you can put on and dance around in your room while singing into a hairbrush? Get "Get It" and have fun.

"Cause a pretty girl is like a melody
It hits you when you're awake gets you when you're asleep
And I can't get this song out of my head..."

timelybrussels[at]hotmail

I first heard The Lashes on the internet, and I've loved them ever since. Their songs are catchy and fun, and the band's energy is contagious. This is one of the few cd's that I listen to all the way through, and I can't help but dance and sing along. A few of the highlights on the cd are "New Best Friend", "Sometimes The Sun", "Yesterday Feels Like A Year", and "Nate's Song", although in my opinion, every song is great in it's own way. The Lashes aren't trying to be the next great songwriters, they're just trying to have fun, and I for one am happy to go along for the ride.

By the way, if you've never read an interview with the lead singer, Ben Clark, aka Ben Lashes, you should look him up right away. There's a reason he's know as the BEST INTERVIEW EVER.

If you heard The Lashes' single "Sometimes the Sun" on the radio and dismissed them as another indie-pop band, you were wrong. This is pure powerpop bliss, catchy enough to keep your attention without being a ripoff of Weezer, and consistent enough to sound like the same band but not the same song, a feat which most artists either can't or don't want to achieve. When people blast bands like this for sounding like a bad version of Weezer, they usually forget that Weezer, the best band to ever walk the face of they earth, owes as much to Nirvana as they do Big Star. The Lashes, however, are much more pop than grunge. In conclusion, buy the album, put it on, and rock out!

I'd only heard a few songs from online, but as soon as I downloaded and heard the first 10 seconds of "Dear Hollywood" there was no question that I needed to go out and "Get It" (ooh, bad pun) immediately. If you don't like this cd, you probably just don't have good taste in music, and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that. Every song on this album is good. These guys have great harmonies and hooks and everything that makes a fun rock and roll pop song. I only wish regular radio stations would wake up and stop playing crap and start playing bands like this. Seriously, "Dear Hollywood" is one of the best songs I've heard in a great while, and everyone I've played it for agrees with me. ALL the other tracks are catchy and fun to dance to and /or sing along with. I guarantee if you listen to the album twice you will have at least one of the songs playing on repeat in your head, whether you want it there or not.

So i have heard this being described as new wave-powerpop. new wave i hear, but i dont like the word pop cause that makes me think boy band... which its not.. but it is rockin i know that much. I cannot stop listening to this cd.
I have been in a music slump because i am so picky about what im listening to and everything that heard sounded the same but this band actually excites me.
In short, happy, dancy , catchy, great guitar solos.