Strange Company’s music and songwriting doesn’t intend to remake the wheel. Instead, what they do is pour old wine into new bottles. The vintage they wheel out for us with the single “Lois Lane” is full-bodied and offers listeners an infectious pop-rock flavor. The tandem of singer Chris Burris and lead guitarist Aaron “Crash” Robinette have audible chemistry that I hear from the beginning. Their lyrical acumen is substantial as well. You won’t encounter pseudo-poetic flourishes, but their lyrics overflow with intelligence and natural, unforced rhymes. This single from the debut Eyes Wide Open gives listeners an excellent introduction to the band that will prompt further investigation.
URL: Strange Company (strangecoband.com)
They headed into a Nashville studio intent on recording the best rock album ever in Nashville’s history. This one-time bastion of country music, the self-dubbed Music City U.S.A., has increasingly provided creative refuge to countless rock acts in the 21st century. Strange Company deserves to be among their number. I believe it will be up to individual listeners to decide if they’ve succeeded at their avowed goal. However, I do not think there’s any question that Strange Company’s “Lois Lane” embodies many of rock music’s greatest timeless virtues. It’s convincing to me on every front.
The combination of Burris and Robinette commands much of the spotlight. Vocalist and lead guitarist pairings are the historical bread and butter for what makes a great rock band, and the resounding chemistry sparked by their partnership raises Strange Company into rarefied air. “Lois Lane” is turbo-charged pop-rock with an emphasis on the latter. In particular, Robinette’s six-string fireworks during his guitar solo are enough to carry the track into the stratosphere.
Burris is not any slouch in the vocal department. I hear a singer with a voice capable of tackling many styles and excels at each one. His rock frontman chops are beyond reproach. I’m especially smitten with the bluesy grit present in his phrasing, and it has a celebratory punch that picks up your spirits. He sounds confident and fevered with every line. Burris and Robinette’s bandmate bassist Andrew Allen drives Strange Company’s engine room with creative yet unobtrusive bass playing. A meaty and rhythmic bottom end is essential for one guitar bands, despite the presence of overdubs during this song, and I’m sure he’s an important piece in filling out their live sound.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/lois-lane-single/1739461580
“Lois Lane” never runs too long. The condensed and mindful song construction disdains any wasted motion. Strange Company hits me as a band who knew what they wanted this song to sound like when they entered the studio and realized the track’s potential without any unnecessary exertion. It has a natural sound rather than sounding pieced together and labored. I’ll be very interested in hearing the other tracks on Eyes Wide Open but, based on this single alone, I feel confident tagging this band as one you’ll want to listen to. I am confident that you’ll agree, and keep coming back for more. They are well worth your time and attention.
Mindy McCall
