The Bamboo Kids – The Way Things Are

The Bamboo Kids might not be a household name in the world of garage-tinged indie pop, but that hasn’t stopped them from having a good time.  In fact, if their recent EP, The Way Things Are, is indicative, the Brooklyn band’s sole existence is to get people up and shaking their hips to a feel good combination of retro rhythms and laid back brass and key sections.

It’s the type of durable EP that you can just throw on during a rough day to lift the weight of life’s burdens.  For their secret, look no further than their well-integrated supports.  Together, the band adeptly integrates buoyant trumpet blasts, and slippery piano keys.  They’re the type of delicate but forceful contributions that permeate every musical crevice without feeling divorced from the band’s dirt simple guitar core.

Come to think of it, their tracks would feel right at home in any classic rock/pop enthusiast’s library.  While the press sheet centers on comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones, I’m inclined to say they lean a little closer to poppier classics like The Kinks, or some modern equivalent with a significantly more wiry voice.  But enough nitpicking – when The Bamboo Kids pull out toe tappers like “You Can’t Trust Me” and practically pound their piano into the ground, the last thing I’m thinking about is who to place them along side.  Dare I say they’re one of the few band’s that my brain doesn’t feel the need to latch onto and dissect at each and every angle?  There is just so much fun to be had.

And for all the simplicity, The Way Things Are also showcases the band’s deeper aspirations.  As if to ward off critics, the album slows down after three uppity tracks for “Central European Time,” crawling along to a soulful piano with vocalist Dwight Weeks projecting a heartfelt, almost jazzy aura.  It might only be one track, but that seems the perfect ratio.

After nearly ten years, The Bamboo Kids know what they’re doing.  I only found myself questioning their groove once – specifically during the lengthy bouts of lyrical repetition for the later half of “The Way Things Are” (the track runs about a minute and a half too long) – but in the grand scheme of things that’s hardly worth losing sleep over.  I’ll concede that The Bamboo Kids is more of a reminder of the power of yesterday’s trends, but they understand those trends too well to overlook.  Overall, The Way Things Are is an easy listen and an equally easy recommendation for retro indie rockers.