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As made obvious by the name of the group, the songs on Close to Me will strike almost any listener as very 'comfortable.' There is very little to challenge the dominant conceptions of what is the prototypical pop hook. To be fair, The Comfies make no effort to disguise this at any time throughout their debut EP. Nearly every track is written to fit the profile of a radio friendly song with a memorable hook - the longest track is only four minutes. Yet, songwriter Benjamin Harper's hooks are never crafted in a self-conscious way, as evidenced by the falsetto on "Understanding 23." While the first three tracks are standard pop rock sing-a-longs, the second half of Close to Me provides a bit more breathing room in the structure of the songs. Joined by vocalist Andrea Barrett on the less poppy "In My Room," Harper leads the unexpected duet surprisingly well considering its placement in the center of an EP filled with slickly produced distorted guitars. The highlight of the album is "Your Sunshine," providing just enough energy from drummer Sam Smith to infuse much-needed life into the album. The one and a half minute closer "Dear Miss Anderson" has a spontaneous feel that suggests there is more looming below the surface of Harper's writing ability. The Comfies have been harshly criticized, perhaps somewhat unfairly, for their predictable sound. Even examining the CD for what it is - a pop rock CD - reveals some issues that Harper will need to work out before writing the follow-up. Overall, there just isn't enough material that comes across as honest or emotional - especially when it would seem most appropriate. The songs are certainly catchy and sure to induce dancing during live sets, but there is definitely potential for much improvement.

The Comfies at Amazon & Insound