WiFEE and the HUZz BAND’s Ruby James and Stephen Cooper have endured longer in their musically forged matrimony than Sonny and Cher or The Captain and Tennille. The Door County couple maintains a consistent aesthetic. Connecting the dots between 1920s string band pop, ’50s rockabilly, ’60s soul and a modern approach to guitar-driven blues is no small accomplishment, especially for a debut album.
If the HUZz BAND hits the stage with the dynamism heard on Songs of Eternal Love and Immediate Satisfaction, they could make a fitting opening act for that sonically omnivorous Milwaukeean, Paul Cebar. Heck, it would be a close call as to who would steal the show. Cebar has absorbed the gamut of sounds he enjoys, a feeling of costumed pastiche that hovers over Songs’ otherwise enjoyable proceedings. However much every element fits, it seems as if the group’s array of styles comes from a rotating wardrobe. The addition of filtration effects and record static on a couple of cuts only abets the feeling that this is the soundtrack to a really fun masquerade. Quibbles about authenticity aside, it’s great to hear a brace of such professionally produced, positive love songs from such an unexpected source.
