New Releases

The Me Toos
Ghost Fly By
Self-released

It might be too strong a statement to say that an album’s running order can make or break a band. But when done right, the sequence of songs can serve a band well, showing its variety or simply helping to drive home a concept. The Me Toos understand this idea, since Ghost Fly By starts with a blues-based version of garage rock — a tried-and-true formula — and with each track shifts tempo and attack to keep the momentum going. In a song like “Set the Moon on Fire,” guitarist/vocalist Jesse Baldoni holds back in the initial verse, playing minimally while bassist Ben Vivio chugs behind him and drummer Kevin Koch adds a syncopated groove. When the break comes, Baldoni explodes into a wall of power chords, releasing the tension. After the song’s roaring climax, they scale it back in “I’ve Been Talking to Myself,” pounding out a garage-punk riff and ending suddenly. A few tracks later, they slow down the mood. The reflective “Skin and Bones” includes acoustic guitars and echoey backing vocals, the latter adding to the impact of many tracks. The Me Toos know how to turn a ballad, but between two of them they insert “Super Charming Death Wish,” a killer take on the four-chord stomp which comes off like a cleaner, sharper version of bands like the 13th Floor Elevators. Cranking out 10 songs in 30 minutes, Ghost Fly By pours on the charm immediately and doesn’t let up.