Before punk music became the cliche it quickly descended into, its early instigators were more like a cross between ’60s garage bands and sped up 70’s alternative pop, as full of melody as they were muscle, as pop-filled as they were powerfully driven. And if you are having trouble envisaging what that might sound like, then you could do a lot worse than give “Take Your Time,” the new one from Mary Strand a spin.
Okay, it isn’t punk by a lot of people’s standards…it’s better than that! That same early alchemy of pop and power, a bouncy, sunny vocal and infectious hooks, guitars groove and grind, energy runs through the song to an almost euphoric level, and I defy anyone not to be dancing around the room by the time the chorus comes around.
If bands such as Ramones had a 50’s doo-wop vibe at their core, Mary Strand seems to be more aligned with bands such as The Primitives or The Darling Buds echoing those bands’ ability to mix sweet pop addictions with punky energy.
“Take Your Time” struts and strides with confidence; it rocks without being bombastic; it is poppy though anything but throwaway; it is a song that might glance briefly to the past but has sights on a bright new future for music. One day, all pop songs will be this infectious and incendiary!
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