Album review: 'Irregardless'

By Katie Halligan

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Superty Dupes

"Irregardless"

Self-released

supertydupes.bandcamp.com

While the lyrical concepts on Superty Dupes' new album, "Irregardless," aren't so serious, the music is no joke. Right off the bat, Superty Dupes slaps the listener in the face with a big, fat stack of funk on "Pancakes." Throughout the album, Jim Watkins rips solos on his guitar and wails into the microphone, complemented by the slick bass lines of Greg Caggiano. Hannah Weidner opens up a serious can of whoop-ass on the drums while singing tandem harmonies with keyboardist and melodica player Kara Maillie. Maillie and Weidner's voices are so in sync that it sounds like one angelic voice echoing Watkins's hilarious intentions. Jennie Osborne completes the sound by adding a boisterous energy to the music with her trombone.

Superty Dupes creates incredibly well-composed and well-arranged party music, crossing genres like blues, funk, hillbilly rock, and more. "Irregardless" will have you laughing and dancing the entire time. Even the album's less upbeat tunes, like "EBT" and "Peeing Indiscreetly," offer their own transcendent moments. Michael Maier recorded, mixed, and mastered the 14-track album, and the clarity of the recording showcases the excellent musicianship and fun energy of the band's live musical soirees.