The Like : Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?
When your dad is Aaron Spelling, I suppose its natural to get into acting. When your dad is Conrad Hilton, I guess you end up sleeping in a lot of beds. (Hah! Get it?) Anyway, my point is that apples rarely fall far from the tree. In the case of the daughters of hit producer Mitchell Froom, likewise hit producer Tony Berg, and former Attraction drummer Pete Thomas, you end up making some amazing music. The three teenage musicians formed The Like, and combined the honeyed vocals of Z. Berg, the dancing bass of Charlotte Froom and the, of course, drums of Tennessee Thomas.
The easy comparisons for the young band’s debut will be with sibling band Eisley, as they share the similarity of silky vocals and a fondness for Radiohead, but one should also look at the similarities to some of the bands their fathers either produced or played for. Froom is married to Suzanne Vega, so there’s bound to be some residual aftereffects even as a stepparent. One of Berg’s biggest production hits was Michael Penn’s debut March which also has echoes within this album. Basically, the girls, even at a young age have quite a pedigree and a lot of influences to choose from and blend. “June Gloom,” the first song on the album, starts as a dreamy Eisley number then turns into a lost track from Pablo Honey. Second song “What I Say and What I Mean” takes cues from Throwing Muses and Veruca Salt. “You Bring Me Down” and “Once Things Look Up” mimic Harriett Wheeler’s Sundays songs to perfection.
Before this debut, the Like had sold three different EP’s online and at shows. But with their recent tour they hit the big time as they were tapped to tag along with Tori Amos on her “Summer of Sin” tour along with Froom produced band, the Ditty Bops. Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? and the albums by Penn, Vega and the Sundays listed above all share something in common. They are contemplative and thoughtful while at the same time being loose and wistful. Berg’s songwriting and vocals take center stage in more ways than one. While each member is truly talented, it is Berg who could end up becoming the Belinda Carlisle, the Tanya Donnelly, the Aimee Mann of the group.
Until that fateful day happens I’m going to just enjoy the ride of the great new band, the Like. Unlike Tori Spelling and Paris Hilton, these girls have true talent and it will take them far. And besides, how handy is it to not only be able to ask your dad about advice on boys and life, but also on the harsh realities of the music business?
Similar Albums:
The Sundays- Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
Eisley- Room Noises
Veruca Salt- American Thighs