Limbeck

Limbeck

[3.5/5] It only took three albums and almost a decade of touring, but Limbeck have finally grown up: With their new, self-titled disc, they deliver a bonafide huge record, full of itchy-toed hand-clappers that are as country as your fourth-cousin Cleetus from Texas, minus the toothless hick factor. Following alt-country-pop pioneers the Format, Limbeck Brian-Wilsonize their country-fried hippy-rock fare with vocoders, bar chimes, strings and-of course-plenty of B3 and pedal steel, all of which will have you shelling peanuts onto the floor regardless of where you are. “Big Drag” is a stand-out with its upbeat bass line and brass burps, and “Wake Up” comes the closest (sort of) to their ancient SoCal punk roots, while the chorus of “Friends” is a near-perfect knock-off of Linda Ronstadt’s “When Will I Be Loved.” But therein lay the rub: Limbeck only seem to have one gear-happy. The album never really goes anywhere other then smileytown and ultimately ends up sounding about as inspired as Counting Crows’ last album. Yeah, exactly. Still, if we were to pick one band to make s’mores with, it would probably be Limbeck because they always let the good times roll. (DOGHOUSE) Casey Lynch

ROCKS LIKE:

The Wallflowers’ Bringing Down The Horse

Counting Crows’ Hard Candy

John Ralston’s Needle Bed