Record Label: Lujo Records
Genre: Indie
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

Gena Rowlands Band isn’t a chick with a guitar, but an interesting, exceptionally pleasant-sounding indie band, who’ve named themselves after the actress best known for having married John Cassavetes.

For such a pretentious art-film reference, GRB pull off some very enjoyable indie rock. At face value, they remind me of early REM, with sharp lyrics and earnest, clean vocals. Yet they also add strings, keys, lofi electro and other flourishes, but not to any detriment. GRB never try to be overly complex or flashy – if anything, they’re singer/songwriter fare at heart. Similar in understated-yet-overly-smart tone, if not in sound, to the Smiths and Shins.

Pleasant stuff if you want a gentle lift on a rainy day. And the first track, Fuckups of the World Unite, is the anthem Ted Leo always wished he had written.

Bottom Line: Earnest, open indie rock with singer/songwriter smarts.
Notable Tracks: Fuckups of the World Unite, Flesh and Spirits, The Joke I Play On Washington
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