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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Review: Spy For Hire - Speak In Numbers


Spy For Hire - Speak In Numbers
2009, Architek One

Columbus, Georgia’s Spy For Hire creates a highly polished and melodic sound on Speak In Numbers. Fans of 1980's pop icons Hall & Oates will dig their brand of Rock N Soul done up for a new generation. Speak In Numbers opens with As Good As New with smooth vocals, great harmonies and a tight-as-anything arrangement. Lead vocalist Ryan Rulon is a crooner on Luck as a salve to the driving rock beat and on-the-edge-of-jangly guitars. The Moontower puts of a 1970's AM Radio feel with some modern rock drive and an eminently memorable chorus. The Line grows from an interesting guitar line into an Adult Contemporary/AAA thought provoker, all with that highly smooth and melodic sheen that covers everything Spy For Hire touches. There's Your Mistake has a distinctive Tears For Fears vibe. Other highlights include Friends And Neighbors, Motorcycle and First Weeks On The Island.

Spy For Hire puts forth an incredibly polished and consistent performance on Speak In Numbers. if anything, the album is perhaps a bit too polished. There are clear signs of a more Rock N Roll tendency to the band that they've been greatly glossed over with production values. Speak In Numbers is a strong release with solid songwriting, great vocals/harmonies and is a pleasant listen, but could use a little more dynamic variation here and there. Great 1980's pop with a modern edge.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spy For Hire at http://www.spyforhire.net/ or www.myspace.com/spyforhire. Speak In Numbers is currently only available in the Atlanta area and at shows, but if you contact the band through their MySpace page I’m sure they’ll work something out.

3 comments:

Dale Adams said...

Thank you for your review of the Speak In Numbers.

You can now also download the album now from Amazon here!

Anonymous said...

Excellent album. I have seen their performance at the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta and it was great. They have a large following that seems to respond to the energy of the band.

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