The Strange Boys' music has always seemed to be drenched in something extensively Texas. The nonchalant, sliding vocal drawl of lead singer Ryan Sambol, backed by the casual twang of slightly rough guitars and a steady rock 'n' roll rhythm, is a device with which The Strange Boys are able to transport their listener to the dusty plains of some stretched out highway in deep Southern America. The strolling, inbred ease of their melodies seemingly spews out of them without much effort. This lackadaisical theme is something that runs throughout the group’s third album Live Music (pronounced live as in “I live here” not “playing live”).
The album opens with the upbeat, piano-led 'Me and You' crammed full of bluesy riffs and Sambol's sliding howl as he exclaims, “we’re the same pictures / just in different frames,” demonstrating that the band’s lyrical capability is just as prominent as their knack for creating catchy, care free melodies. The song oozes "cool", creating an instantly memorable start to the record.
The group have made a slight departure in terms of their sound on Live Music. There is a prominent funk feel on many of the tracks reminiscent of a vintage Stones, mixed with a laid back blues feel evocative of Dusty Springfield, while only a few songs still hold the raw garage rock sound that was apparent on their last two albums. While ‘Onmnia Boa’ and ‘Mama Shelter’ project a strong feeling of swagger and attitude, songs such as ‘Doueh’ and ‘Saddest’ are tracks that lend themselves more to a casual stroll, finding the group in a more content mood, happy to display their skills as musicians as the record creates a feeling of loose improvisation.
This is a record that demonstrates the range of styles The Strange Boys are able to produce, it is a mix of meandering ballads, country rock songs, bluesy tales and funk-inspired jams. At some points this can become slightly tedious and detract a little from the flow of the album; with fourteen tracks on the record, there is a lot to get through. At the same time however, the songs have the ability to ingrain themselves into your mind, becoming more memorable over time as the band continue to progress with the sounds they are capable of creating.