Buzzworthy??? Or Not???

Who: Little Joy
Location: Los Angeles, CA
elbo.ws Ranking: N/A (though not for long surely!)
Thoughts:If you've ever wondered to yourself what it would sound like if a Stroke moved to the West coast and made an album with a brand new band, well then Little Joy is exactly what you are looking for. A slowed down, quieter version of what The Strokes once were, only with a bit of a Latin feel to everything they do. Perhaps the Latin feel comes from lead singer Rodrigo Amarante, though the way he sings I can't help but think of Julian Casablancas and the detached manner in which he used to croon. The styles are ridiculously similar, maybe not entirely in sound but certainly in vibe and this is with only one Stroke (drummer Fabrizio Moretti) participating in the band. There are a few other elements in play here, but for my money as soon as I here that there's a Stroke in a band I start remembering the old days of reigning supreme over the New York music scene. Call me nostalgic or short sighted but I cannot get passed it. Still, I found myself bobbing my head along to most of the tracks on their self-titled debut album, and aside from a few sleepy clunkers this is pretty solid stuff. I won't say they're the greatest thing but they definitely deserve the buzz that's surrounding them.
Verdict: Buzzworthy!!!
Listen: Little Joy - "Brand New Start"
Little Joy - "Keep Me In Mind"