Operating as Art Feynman, Luke Temple crafts propulsive pop, stuff infused with rhythmic hooks and a whole lot of pep. The inventive Be Good the Crazy Boys continues Feynman's pursuit of a certain aesthetic. And it's one which few others are chasing these days.
"Early Signs of Rhythm" and "In CD" are buoyant bouncers, reminiscent of things like "Sledgehammer", Matthew Wilder, and even a flash of Mick Karn's more catchy offerings. The tracks are as energetic as anything I've heard in 2023, and Feynman deserves create for finding a new avenue to chase in an age where others are after guitar noise or something. "All I Can Do" goes even further back, channeling both solo Lindsey Buckingham and The Cars in the service of a bubbly bit of business.
What makes so much of Be Good The Crazy Boys work is that Feynman (Temple) is very adept at his craft. Rather than get lost in the affectations of the past as others might, he uses the flavors and accents of past New Wave (and even snatches of Afro-pop in "Desperately Free") in the service of his fairly robust, fairly tight little numbers. This is music you can dance to, of course, but it's also smartly rendered. There are multiple angles from which to approach Art Feynman's new opus, and I appreciated that intellectually. Even as I was grooving around the house while playing this.
Be Good The Crazy Boys by Art Feynman is out now via Western Vinyl. Details below.
[Photo: Aubrey Trinnaman]