Stuyvesant - Shmyvesant

Is it me, or do bands these days seem to take themselves way too serious. With all the competition, grabbing for press and campaigning for votes. The indie scene is beginning to look like it forgot to have fun.  Lucky for us we have Stuyvesant to balance things out by reminding everyone that making music is supposed to be a fun, creative outlet that makes everyone involved feel good and not worry about the daily pressures and bullshit life sends our way on a fairly daily basis. Like a reliable friend or a good, stiff drink. Stuyvesant never seem to let us down. Their music sticks with us through both the good times and the bad. They're always there to remind us of the good things. The simple pleasures. Whether it's through their hook laden melodies, their uplifting singalong choruses or maybe their incredible ability to allow us to be silly and just have fun, even it it's at their own expense. Each one of these qualities go a long way towards making Stuyvesant so accessible and endearing to those to us.

The bands latest, Shmyvesant marks Stuyvesants third full length release and the debut release for Al (Dromedary) Crisafulli's new label, Sugarblast Records. The record opens with Baby Bear.  A song that immediately puts the spotlight on those aforementioned hooks and melodies. More than ever before, I'm instantly reminded of how vital the combination of Sean Adams and Ralph Malanga's are to what makes this band so loved. As much as I've come to love their former bands Friends, Romans, Countrymen and Footstone.
It's nearly impossible to measure the improvement made when bringing the two together.
To say that they compliment one another would be, at the very least, an understatement.
The album seamlessly flows from one song to another, with tracks like Hellbent for Heather, Oatmeal Song, Shhh and Until You Came Around leading the way. Stuyvesant's effortless ability to create punk infused power pop melodies, hooks and sing along choruses make even the most jaded old curmudgeon sing along and dance with uncoordinated, wild abandon. Overall, Shmyvesant closes out a tough year on a high not and reminds us we we shouldn't rush to deliver those "Best of" lists. The more I listen and experience Stuyvesant. The more I realize how they are to the present what bands like Superchunk, Big Drill Car and ALL were to me in the 90's. Not a bad class to be included in if you ask me.
James Damion

Sugarblast Music  Get it Here