The Mother Hips - Red Tandy EP

Only fifteen minutes (give or take) and four songs (really, three as there are dueling versions of the title track) long, The Mother Hips’ Red Tandy EP is fleeting but entirely delightful. Imagine a band from the British Invasion moving to California and settling down with a cowgirl and/or hippie chick, and you have an approximation of the EP’s sound. With its driving, bluesy guitar groove, layered vocals and tale of a girl “who likes it hot, that says a lot,” “Red Tandy” (the song) is two minutes and twenty seconds of pure retro pop perfection, opening the album in fine fashion. “Colonized” follows with an insistent opening guitar riff and straightforward rock sound that gives way to a sublimely melodic bridge section. More mellow and psychedelic than its predecessors, “Blue Tomorrow” changes the atmosphere quite nicely and sets the table for the return of “Red Tandy.” By adding almost a minute and a half to the alternate version of the opener, the song loses some of its original potency; however, its inclusion serves to bring the work full circle and bookend the album well. With their seamless blend of Brit-pop, Southern and classic rock, The Mother Hips have achieved a sound as appealing as it is diverse. Each of the tracks on Red Tandy provides maximum enjoyment and is likely to rattle around the listener’s brain for hours after exposure. Although Red Tandy may be short lived, it is a definite success. [www.motherhips.com]