Music is the Como family business.
The name might be a tip-off, but like many musicians before them, these up-and-coming lads inherited their artistry from their father and family members. As they grew, Matt and Andrew Como translated their love of performing into emulating the Fab Four in a Beatles tribute band on Long Island, before blossoming into a new operation. With placements all over MTV and E! reality shows, and an opening slot for the Wallflowers, it appears that the duo’s explosion is inevitable.
The Comos’ new album, Baby Steps, is a sampling of taste and talent. Rock/soul opener “Gotta Be True” is possibly not the strongest choice of lead, but thankfully, the band presents some truly stellar material as the album progresses. The country-flavored “Hang My Head” is gorgeous, accented with the shimmering whammy of an electric guitar. Meanwhile, “Hey Kristen” takes me back to the glory days of Top 40 in 1996; the Comos frequently pepper arrangements with ’90s-esque elements… but only the good ones.
The track that’s still stuck in my head after a few listens of the album, however, is the truly catchy-as-eff “Straight Face.” Who can resist a bouncy, jazz-infused, huggy-and-kissy pop song? Think: a young Maroon 5 meets Jason Mraz meets early Train. (You know, all those artists we love to publicly hate, but are go-tos for shower singing?)
Overall, the album is a resume of sorts for the Comos. It genre-bends from hard rock to bubblegum, to alternate and beyond. While it’s great to see such versatility, sooner or later, everyone must pick a major. Hopefully, the band will realize that songs like “Straight Face” are not only completely excellent, but in today’s music business landscape, can become the bread-and-butter of a successful career. This, more than any other track, is indicative of what we can, hopefully, anticipate from the band in the future.
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