Koufax - Hard Time Are in Fashion

Browsing through my music collection the other day, I saw the first two Koufax records, and there was this moment of “Man, that was a fun band… Whatever happened to them?” A week later I have a new record in my hands waiting to be reviewed. They were one of those Vagrant bands that sort of just defined my late high school, early college sensibilities. Back when MySpace was all scene kids tired of the shoddy connections of Friendster. And here was this piano-heavy, a Joe Jackson/”I love LA” Randy Newman vibe, telling the audience at every show “Keep it in the Fingertips and Hips.” They were the perfect band to round out any compilation, but unfortunately never really inspiring enough to most to go run out and buy the record. There is nothing wrong with a great classic power pop sound. And Koufax has always nailed that. Bouncing keyboards and beats, the slight swagger in Robert Suchan’s voice - the cover art could be the lost art work for an album by The Cars. But there is just something that is so safe about it. It’s almost this expected American sound, which might explain why the majority of Koufax’s tour dates seem to be in Germany. While there is nothing really bad about it, the music just doesn’t seem to inspire jaded American snobs; it is too comfortable and familiar. In the same way that typical European bands can storm U.S. shores with a hint of the exotic, Koufax seems to be able to do the same in the opposite direction. So what happened to this band from my early independence? They’re telling me for the last time that they’re not fucking around. And I believe them, but it’s just not enough for me anymore. [www.koufaxmusic.com]