The Como Brothers Band

Though members Matt and Andrew Como are brothers, they only formed their official band three years ago and “Baby Steps” is where the musical road has taken them to date. Their first full length album is a collection of 12 peppy pop songs with a guitar-driven energy that gives the material a spiky rock edge.

The productions are neat and straightforward yet they display the sophistication of musicianship that these born and bred performers have honed through years of encouraged practice. They don’t fall back on synthesis and electronic sounds just to fit in with the modern fad; they strive for originality and authentic acoustics that draw a myriad of effective elements from timeless blues, folk rock and bluegrass.

Songs range from the comforting ‘Hang My Head;’ the anthemic ‘Numbed’ to the funky groovy ‘Gotta Be True.’ There is an eclectic diversity present in which the band makes various constructional decisions but manage to maintain their recognisable panache within each composition. What may seem like relatively minor details make the album adventurous and expressive in a way that engages the audience, and even if you don’t appreciate the genre or the band, you can hear how ‘Baby Steps’ attempts to infuse many stylistic slants into something that is at least acceptable for all.

“Baby Steps” is a nostalgic exploration of love and personal growth that is a testament to the wisdom of two young men who are only barely into their twenties. Their lyrics are easily comprehendible but still exhibit the complexity of intricate thoughts that are let out organically. Vocally, they sound like a pair of slightly more euphonious Fran Healys, which is a great compliment. This is not to say that the original Healy lacks vocal control; rather, The Como Brothers Band rely on much more soulful harmonies in the way a commercial duo would.