Review: Common Reaction

Posted by green in News on Aug 21st, 2008 | no responses

Named after a 2004 PJ Harvey (and her obscure song of the same name), there’s no confusing Uh Huh her with its angry English progenitor. Instead, the duo’s pulsing synth-rock is a much more approachable, hook-filled affair. For a debut album, Common Reaction maintains a surprisingly confident, consistent sound thanks to wealth of rock experience: Leisha Hailey, who moonlights as ‘Alice Pieszecki’ on Showtime’s The L Word, first rose to prominence in the New York duo The Murmurs in the early ‘90s. Likewise, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Camila Grey used to hold down the low end for Mellowdrone. As Uh Huh Her, they seem to have found their kindred spirits. Highlights such as ‘Dance With Me’ and the title track find their voices blending like Sumatran coffee. Still, the angsty lyrics betray a tension hiding just beneath the synth-covered surface. Maybe there’s some Harvey in them yet.