Rating: 3.5
Back in the early sixties, there was a fairly obscure group comprised of four young men who called themselves the Beatles. Although you may not have heard of them before, they were instrumental in single-handedly acting as a nexus between syrupy fifties pop and drugged out acid rock of the late sixties and early seventies. Another group who may have evaded your radar is the Brooklyn by way of Madison, WI band Locksley. They, like the Beatles in their early days, are a foursome, wear the same outfits, have mostly two to three minute uptempo songs and each sing on the record.
Locksley Why Not Me mp3
Okay, you may have actually heard of Locksley. Their song “Don’t Make Me Wait” was recently used in a Payless Shoes television commercial. It is an extremely upbeat, catchy song that owes 100% to the little known group already mentioned a couple of times in the preceding paragraph. All of the songs fit into this description. The one exception of a song that sounds at all different from the others is “For You (Part I),” a slower one minute acoustic song, which in turn goes into part II, another two minute fast paced pop/rock song.
Their voices, although I have no idea who is who, sound annoyingly like Lennon, McCartney and even at times Harrison. The one who even imitates John Lennon’s “Twist and Shout” shrieking vocal style to a tee has done his homework, but clearly does not know or have his own voice. They often sing their harmonies with multiple backing vocalists, making them sound like even more of an undignified rip off group. Sonically, they don’t sound like a sixties band because they record using modern, computer based technology, yet you can’t get from one song to the next without thinking about the Beatles. In fact, I can’t even think of another comparison because Locksley tries so desperately to recreate every facet of their heroes’ signature sound.
Locksley sound like an early Beatles cover band except that they write their own songs. They must have spent hours on end trying to replicate the monumental band down to every last “sha la la la.” The only thing that they don’t try to carbon copy is the slower, more melodic R&B material that the early Beatles were fond of recording. They are fast, poppy and fun if you like that kind of music. However, if you are not a fan of bands that have zero originality or autonomous merit, then you probably want to avoid this one.
-Andrew Boe
I whole-heartedly disagree with the review. Locksley definitely has their own sound. This reviewer clearly hasn’t done their music homework enough to get past the Beatles comparisons. This album is definitely worth buying if you want an fun, energetic infusion of the Kinks and the Libertines – pick this up! I’d put money on it that they are the next big thing!
In reponse to Are You Crazy?….
I’d bet big money that you are somehow affiliated with Locksley. They suck and you do too. But Madison is awesome!! Have you ever been down to The Plaza??
When a review is written about a band and the review has only one argument implying the album and band are not very good it makes me wonder as to why they are so dead-set on bringing a group down. Now this review has done nothing of the sort. I agree, they do sound similar to the greatest band of all time. Is that a bad thing? Locksley’s singer Jesse Laz even said in an interview that using the fact that they sound similar to the beatles as an insult is like saying to a basketball player, you play too much like michael jordan. I love locksley, their album is one of my favorites, and no one gets you as excited as them at a live show. They are influenced by the Beatles, that song All of the Time sounds like it even could have been a Beatles song. I wish I could write a song that people said sounded like it could have been on ‘Please Please Me’ Last time I checked, Please Please Me was something like the number 13 greatest album of all time according to Rolling Stone. I’m curious though as to what other songs on Don’t Make Me Wait sound directly like a Beatles song, Not any other track is so derivitive of the Beatles that it sounds like a rip-off. I’ve never heard anything like Don’t Make Me Wait, or She Does, or Why Not Me? on any Beatles record, or any song on that album. And in addition to good honest rock and roll, a stellar live performance, no album or group of guys makes you feel better. And I am affiliated with locksley, I’m a big fan, and it wasn’t hard for me to like them, especially cos I don’t really like rip-off bands, which Locksley are not.
Uh, this review is ridonkulously lame. did you even listen to the album or just a few songs and decide it was too beatles-y?
Andrew Boe’s reviews are almost all negative. Maybe he can’t get past the fact that EVERY band has its influences. Ah well. His reviews make for good cannon fodder.
I say Shrie makes for good cannon fodder.
Boo Yeah!
I like this album alot. past and the present is an excellent song.
you boys argue alot?!
love laughs light and song.
I was pretty shocked to see this review, but must attribute it to the reviewer having a bad night’s sleep. I can’t recall when I’ve heard a band that so quickly jumped to my favorites list. After hearing the “Don’t Make Me Wait” CD and hearing that they were from Madison, WI, I made a point of catching one of their shows. It was one of the most energizing live shows I’ve ever seen! Give this CD a listen (and get to their show!)- you won’t be disappointed!
i think the reason that this review sucks, is because he’s never seeen them in concert. i just saw locksley in concert and they were freaking awesome,
not to mention really nice and cute. but then i downloaded this cd and started listening to it and i see where andrew boe is coming from. their cd is still
amazing, but to see them acutally playing their songs and display more emotion in their voices makes their music a lot better. on the cd they sound a little
generic, but still good, just not as good live.
wow.
i don’t see why sounding the beatles is such a bad thing. last time i checked the beatles were one of the greatest bands ever. locksley is a great band and they really get you energized and dancing.
plus music is pretty much stuck right now with all these emo bands blocking any and all progress.
the only way to make good music is go back to what used to work and make it work again.
and in my opinion thats what locksley did.
i dunno if that makes sense but whatever.
If Locksley “sucks,” then how are they getting tours with the Hives, Rooney, The Kinks, Hanson, etc.? And if they “sucks, how are they selling songs to Starz Network, Payless Shoe Source, CNN, MTV, Canon and AT&T? If they “suck,” how are they getting on the soundtracks for Cloverfield and Over Her Dead Body?
Now I know what its like to read reviews from someone that has never played an instrument or written a song…