Rock/Powerpop
John Faye and Brittany Rotondo comprise this songwriting duo from Philadelphia, PA. John Faye is no stranger to fans of BMF - formerly of the Caulfields and current frontman of IKE, he is simply one of the finest powerpop and rock artists around these days. In 2008, Faye met Rotondo and they hit it off instantly with their mutual love of the Beatles and the Ramones. They soon found themselves writing songs together, including "Last Act", which was included on IKE's latest release, "Tie The Knot With All That You Got" (reviewed here). In addition to their duo performances, John and Brittany have also started working with a full band, featuring Jay Miraglia on drums and Mike Vivas on bass. The group released their upbeat first single "Devil's Allure" in December of 2010 and now it is included with five other tracks on their self-titled debut EP.
In case you’re wondering, Faye takes the vocal duties here and Rotondo lends expert songwriting and guitar support. Faye’s years of powerpop experience shine through on each one of these infectious tracks, beginning with the driving spirit of “Dead Dog”. As if the chorus wasn’t tempting you enough to sing along, his affable harmonies step in to take it up a notch. “Dead Dog” is vintage John Faye and will appease fans of IKE. For those who like a darker sound, be sure to check out “Land Of The Unforgiven”. “Fancy Dance” is a pleasant get up and get on with it ballad with affable backing vocals and lovely 80s-inspired lead work – I like this one a lot. Closing track “Queen Of Mean” ends things on an upbeat note with sharp lyrics and one of the most instantly likeable choruses on the EP – not to mention and outstanding vocal performance.
Fans of John Faye, particularly of his work in IKE, should love this new project. For those who haven’t acquainted themselves with Faye yet, there’s no better time than the present and this little EP with Rotondo is a great starting point.
John and Brittany – Facebook.
