Matt and Andrew Como grew up listening to and studying everything from The Beatles to Maroon 5. They also developed a love for the blues. Not surprising considering their musical roots. The boys’ father and their uncles played in a band called The Words in the 1980s, frequently performing at CBGB’s. However, the music the younger Comos produce doesn’t sound at all retro, but is decidedly contemporary, perhaps too much so in spots.
The brothers brought in some heavy hitters for their EP Imagination, starting with producer Graham Marsh (Bruno Mars, CeeLo Green) as well as session musicians that have worked with such artists as John Mayer and Taylor Swift.
The single, the very fine “Good Enough for Me,” is a slow burner that eventually makes a solid and lingering impression with its catchy chorus. Echoes of Andy Grammar and Maroon 5 are evident down to the pop/bluesy keyboard work of Andy Burton. The latter brings up a Wallflowers influence which isn’t surprising since the Como Brothers Band once opened for Jakob Dylan’s crew.
Of course sounding like a bunch of other acts isn’t necessarily a bad thing, particularly if you have the songs. The Como Brothers Band nearly do. “Chemicals,” for example, bounces along on a pleasant guitar riff. “Make My Heart Move,” gets things appealingly twangy, yet for most of the tracks the listener waits for that final push over the cliff.
When you consider what’s in the charts these days, Imagination is certainly superior, particularly the single. And yet, while it is at the head of the class, if you’re grading on the curve, it needs to stand out a bit more from its classmates.
7 Brothers out of 10
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.