Matt and Andrew Como, better known as The Como Brothers Band, claim to have too many favorite artists to list on their Facebook page, but they do mention starting off with "a love of The Beatles." That influence couldn't be clearer on the brothers' debut album Baby Steps, a delightful throwback to good old-fashioned Motown pop that still feels entirely original. The band works elements of blues and rock into pop, integrating funky horns, sparkling keys and gritty guitars into classic pop song structures. There isn't a single miss among the twelve songs here, and none of them are lacking for hooks: pick one at random and there's a 99 percent chance you'll find it wedged firmly into your brain for the next few days. The lush, dark "Late Nights" has a chorus too catchy not to sing along to, while bouncy, subtly sophisticated pop-rock gems like "Only Me" and "Make a Move" abound. It's the duo's vocals, though, that wrap the whole package up. They may win you over with their charming boyishness, but in darker moments you can hear hints of maturity following heartbreak: it's that implacable undercurrent of sadness, intimate and personal in a way that transcends the music's pop leanings, that elevates Baby Steps to one of my favorite albums of the year—and The Como Brothers Band to one of the bands I'll be keeping a close eye on. Stream Baby Steps below:
