The Art Crimes Band – Guy Like You (2022)
We all have criteria we use to determine if someone has all the traits we want in a partner, whether we realise it or not. These often unconscious lists of criteria have been picked up by The Art Crimes Band and woven into their single ‘Guy Like You’. With an origin story that goes back to the band’s lead singer swiping on Tinder, the single looks beyond the materialistic and considers what, in general, makes a great person.
With a blast of funk and soul wrapped up in a sultry coating, this single lets the band get everything off their chest and consider what we all look for in love. While vocalist Grace McMahon’s Tinder experience rests at the heart of the single, Gary Baus (saxophone), Stephen Kirby (guitars), Niall Dennehy (drums, percussion), Tim O’Leary (bass) and Katie O’Donnell (piano, keyboards) add their own musical personalities to the sound. Together, they merge the best elements of different funky genres, for a sound that draws you close and does not let go.
McMahon’s vocals grab your attention from the first second of ‘Guy Like You’. Her voice is smooth and soulful while the melody brings a wonderful emphasis to certain words in the opening. There is a swirl to her vocal performance that twangs with a groovy vibe. She has the ability to draw you close for a confession, while making you want to move to the light funky vibes of the single. Through the lyrics, she details all the traits that make a person you want to spend time with. This wonderfully avoids any materialistic and physical attributes, looking rather at personalities and how they make you feel. Later in the track, the vocals drop some of the groovy movement for a wonderfully soulful movement that is rich and slides across your skin like satin.
While McMahon’s vocals grab your attention and easily keep it, the melody resting below is a pleasure to listen to. There is an almost jazzy funky flow to the melody that has you swaying to the rhythm. Against the opening vocals, the instruments have a stop-start flow that helps to emphasise the lyrics. This flows into a rich groovy movement that has each instrument flowing into each other for a decadent sound. While the instruments merge for the main melodic line, you can still pick each out as they bring their own flair to the sound. As the vocals drop, the saxophone and piano join for a sultry dance that is utter perfection.
The Art Crimes Band blend sultry instrumentation with soulful vocals as they consider the traits we all want in a partner through ‘Guy Like You’. The vocals grab your attention from the first second, leading you into a consideration of what we look for in someone we date. Beneath the vocals, the melody is rich, groovy and seductive as it wraps around you like satin.
Find out more about The Art Crimes Band on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
