This Is It
by The Greeting Committee

From MadhattanJack 12/09/2025 21:58 | #312077

A fairly snappy pop record that's heavily influenced by 70s-era soul/R&B, maybe a bit of jazz too - though you'd probably never guess that by looking at the band members, who apparently come from Overland Park, Kansas. The band mostly steers clear of guitars during the first four tracks or so in favor of horns, piano, and occasional strings; lead singer Addie Sartino could probably stand to be a bit more emotive on these tracks, but is nevertheless extremely talented - similar to Amy Winehouse in tone, at least. The second half takes a more conventional guitar-based rock approach and Sartino starts to sound a little more post-punkish, so overall, I personally don't think the album quite reaches the level of "cultural appropriation." It's a good listen if you like the retro-soul vibe in the modern indie-pop context, but maybe aren't quite ready to go all-out on the Betty Wright or Millie Jackson records just yet. Paradoxically, the album's highlight might be the simplest and most "mature" track, "Birthday Song," which is basically a pretty acoustic ballad with a string section towards the end. Very nice.