the school | Every Moment Has A Song

The School: Loveless Unbeliever (2010)

File under: All the best band names are taken. Right next to The Shore, The Bills, Air and other extremely un-Googlable musical collectives. Remember when bands went to the trouble of naming themselves with a combination of words you’d never heard in any other context–Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, Steely Dan, Procol Harum, Mott the Hoople?

Well, that’s a myth too, because back in the day we also had The Cars, The Doors, The Police, Kiss, Queen, Camel, Spirit, and of course Chicago, Boston, Kansas, Asia and America. But at least those bands had the excuse of not anticipating online searches.

Anyway, unfortunately-named British pop band The School have nailed the 60’s girl group sound of the Ronettes, Little Peggy March, etc. They’re clearly steeped in early Motown and Phil Spector arrangement. But other acts have accomplished as much in recent years–imitation is relatively easy. What sets The School apart is that they’ve written some really catchy original songs, raising their act above mere homage. Their sound captures that teen melodrama, their lyrics put across that wide-eyed innocence. But the surprise is that their hooks nearly match those of their source material. And they know, as Brian Wilson did, the value of the nonsense syllable–the “Ba-ba-ba-ooo” and the “Wa-ah-oh-ho” the backup singers coo in harmony. This stuff really does feel 1963.

Fresh songs with nostalgia built-in. It makes for great summer road trip music. Now that school’s out, head for the beach with…The School.

Listen to: “Let it Slip”