Rating: ****
Stan Olshefski, better known as Seneko is dedicated to kicking out indie-pop with jangly alt-country riffs at a rate that others can't seem to match. Dude is prolific. In fact, this is his 3rd EP in the past 4 years.
This one is called "Soul Numbers" and it promises to be more of the same Radiohead with a country feel that we've come to expect from Seneko.
Before we get to the review, I must mention that the Huffington Post compared him to the Gin Blossoms. Readers of this blog and followers of my Twitter know that I absolutely love the Gin Blossoms and this has made me ever extra excited to check this EP out.
Review after the jump.
Listen to "Soul Numbers" on Spotify here.
"The Devil You Don't Know" starts with some great 50's doo-wop harmonies and I'm like "hell yeah", shortly after that Seneko starts the verse and I'm a little thrown off because he has a very Nick Cave vibe that I wasn't expecting but by the end of the song was full into. A really bouncy track that starts the album off in a really fun way. Track two is "Callin' of the Cause" and it's another strong track that is equal parts americana, doo-wop, and pop. I really enjoy the vibe. Makes me want to take a long road trip just to crank this up. "Jenny's With Irene" is a fun little ditty about being in love with a lesbian. I've been there, bro. "Lost on Me" has more of a 70's melodic rock feel to it. This one actually seems a little Bruce Springsteen inspired. Solid again. The EP ends on "One Hot Shot" and it might be the most radio-friendly track on the entire album. Again, it reminds me of Henry's Dream era Nick Cave. That ain't a bad thing.
This is a strong collection of jangly guitar and earnest vocals here. Seneko is a gifted songwriter and I'm really looking forward to hearing more from him. I didn't get the Gin Blossoms comparison at all but these tracks stand on their own just fine. Highly recommended.