Are The Stiffys a funny band? The Stiffys are not a joke band. You know that scene in Point Break when Johnny Utah is described as being ‘young, dumb and full of cum’, well that descriptor could suitably be applied to We Are Groovy Boys.
For a band that essentially started as a creative outlet for Jason Leigh outside of his more serious band The Dotcoms, The Stiffys have become a hugely in demand act on the live circuit.
What makes this band so likeable are Leigh’s juicy baritone, his low tuned guitar that appears to be run through a bass amp and a guitar amp and Adam Stagg’s visceral drumming (you know that scene in 24 Hour Party People when producer Martin Hannett instructs Joy Division drummer Stephen Morris to drum “faster, but slower”).
It is the energy and, suitably, the grooviness of We Are Groovy Boys that makes this release so likable. At the pinnacle of this likability is scale is the song Boogie Boarding. This track opens with spacey drums, a thick bassline and Leigh chanting, “Boogie boarding, boogie boarding, boogie boarding” before he and Stagg do a bit of call and response of “Boogie, boogie” and then there’s the Mr Bungle reminiscent half speed horns breakdown of “Boog-ie, boogie, boooogieee…” I cannot remember ever liking a rock track that’s only lyrics are also the song’s title.
Opening track Champagne is much of the same balls-out ilk of the aforementioned song but then Give Me All Your Cocoa Pops seems like a bit of a hat tip to early horror rock like The Misfits. The final song, I’m Really Good At Sex Because I Am Always Doing It, is feel-good doo-wop that immediately elicits visions of a beach-bop scene from Gidget.
We Are Groovy Boys is fun music done well with my only criticism that Leigh and Stagg almost seem afraid to let any of the songs get more serious in both length and lyrical content.
BY DENVER MAXX
Best Track: Boogie Boarding
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Mr Bungle MR BUNGLE, You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979, Celebration RockJAPANDROIDS
In A Word: Hard (not to like)
