CD Review

After opening for the Black Eyes Peas, N.E.R.D. and The Thrills on a spring jaunt, Spymob has at last released their debut full-length album – Sitting Around Keeping Score. Better known as the band behind the live instrumentation of hip-hop act N.E.R.D.’s debut In Search Of?, Spymob has brought pop-rock to their own terms. So despite their well-received work with Pharrell Williams and crew, rooted in jittery pop and smirky guitar rock, Sitting Around emits influences as striking as Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan.

Lead singer/keyboardist John Otsby, is a carefree lyricist, touching on childish imagination and hopeful wonders. Songs about European sports cars, Joe Namath and trusty dogs meander their way above danceable grooves. Deep, but still very loose, the gang capture white boy soul, noticeable on the vintage keyboard riff of “Sitting Around Keeping Score” and the dreamy “I Still Live At Home.” It’s a sound they make their own, even when trying to straddle everything between pop and alternative. That’s a lot of ground to cover, and sometimes they inevitably tread a bit too far in catchy waters. Those who don’t object to a healthy helping of easily digestible pop will dig Spymob. Those with more discerning appetites may want to pass on this debut serving.