The Gutterpups - To See You Smile

Hear The Track Here

Brand new name to me, although not I suspect to making music, or even to Soundclick, The Gutterpups appear to be a four peice band centered around singer/songwriter Sean W. Tevlin.The webpage states 'Guitarist Shamus O'Toole, bassist Rod Smallwood and drummer Alex Bekracken have all given Tevlin's songs a big piece of their own styles and along the way gelled into an incredible live band' and I could certainly hear that they could be that. Even by the sound pumped out during To See You Smile, you can see that they would make a very decent classic rock event even if, like me, you weren't quite sold on their approach.

Ultimately all music is a question of personal choice and I freely admit there are some kinds of rock I find too American for me. The same, I suppose, as some Americans might consider some English rock as too parochial. To my ears, even after considerable plays, just didn't sit right although I couldn't fault the musicians or their performance. To be sure, I thought some of the production/arrangment could have been worked on a little more to stop the inevitable 'demo' feel creeping in. As much as I tried to like this track, because the musicians worked real hard with it, at the end of the day it just didn't cut it.

Its really unfair to judge from one track so I'm not going to because its obvious that personal preference plays a part here and The Gutterpups deliver their part admirably - especially if you like American indie rock. Initially they reminded me somewhat of Avalanche but somehow the song itself failed to deliver the punchline. I don't know, maybe I'm way too fussy about this but I felt there was a certain lack of excitement in the track that should - by all respects - have been there. Nonetheless, it will inspire me to listen to something else from this band and - as I say - if you like the genre, dig in.

Recommended American indie rock.