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The myth of teenagers being only interested in American Idol, Disney princesses, etc. gets further dispelled by the arrival on the international scene of this cracking young Irish quartet. The Strypes dig deep, skipping their parent’s record collection and going straight to Grandma and Grandpa’s vinyl on the Blue Collar Jane . Pretty hip folks, too – the four songs here reek of raw, blue-eyed R&B as purveyed 40+ years ago by the likes of the Small Faces and Cavern Club-era Beatles. Admittedly, the band brings few new wrinkles to this style – the members are still teens absorbing and refining their influences, after all. But the energy, exuberance and skill (especially on vox and guitar) brought to bear on catchy-as-hell tunes like “What the People Don’t See” and the title track make matters of originality moot. Two thumbs up as well for the rip-roaring cover of the Nick Lowe gem “Heart of the City.”
