Fuzzy

(Seed)
by Scott Hefflon

Fourteen songs of Bostonian girly pop would be entirely too dismissive a description. “They’re just pop songs, but they’re good. And they’re different,” says singer/guitarist Chris Toppin. While the songs certainly have their cutesy, baby-doll angle, they combine it with a, well, fuzzy guitar sound and thick thumping bass. Most of the songs are lively and upbeat yet often contain a certain element of loss. Luckily, in the end, there is a sense of triumph.

After missing them twice this month, once at the Rat and once at the Middle East, I have to pass along other’s opinions of their live show. One well-respected music cynic (Oops! critic) stated, “It was like being constantly boinked off the head with a Nerf bat, light and fluffy but the novelty wears off pretty quickly.” Another friend merely said, “I see them whenever they come around.” The first few songs from their Seed release bop around and hide their catchy hooks beneath warm’n’fuzzy distortion. The tempos are quick and Bangles-ish and the topics airy and fun. The last few songs bog down in mid-tempo whateverland and that’s where I lose interest and start over again. You can sing the guitar lines as well as the melodies which, to me, implies a strongly-written, catchy song.