I always did like the Beach Boys, post- and pre- Pet Sounds, and The Legal Matters are of a piece with that. Fans of the Boys might want to check out the Legal Matters for that reason alone. The band debuted in 2014, though all were veterans of the Midwest scene. Their new album, Lost At Sea, is their fourth.

Keith Klingensmith, Andy Reed, and Chris Richards of the band were kind enough to team answer a few questions for me.

Andrea Weiss: For those who don’t know you, could you give a short history of the band?

The Legal Matters: Chris and Keith had been playing and recording together for years. We’d been hearing about a young upstart who ran his own studio in Bay City, Michigan, so we decided to give him a shot to record a song we needed to get done. Those sessions couldn’t have gone any better, and over drinks that night we decided to join forces. The Legal Matters were the result.

AW: Is your name taken from The Who’s “A Legal Matter?”

TLM: It is! Like most bands we had a hard time coming up with a name, everything sounds so weird at first. But Andy suggested it as we were brainstorming, and it just felt immediately right.

AW: Who is in the band?

TLM: Andy Reed, who has his own thing going with An American Underdog and solo recordings. Chris Richards, who has led Chris Richards and the Subtractions for years, and Keith Klingensmith, who runs the indie label Futureman Records.

AW: Who are your influences?

TLM: Lots! Beatles, Beach Boys, Badfinger, Big Star, Elliot Smith, Teenage Fanclub, Kinks, Zombies, Hollies, Bee Gees, XTC, could go on and on!

AW: I like your Beach Boys-type harmonies in some of your songs. Are they an influence?

TLM: Short of The Beatles, who are an absolute constant, I think The Beach Boys would probably be a pretty solid #2. We talk about how they approached certain harmonies a lot.

AW: I like that these songs are emotional without overdoing it. Was that something you wanted to come through in your lyrics?

TLM: I think that’s fair for sure. I don’t think any of us are big “lyrics” people. We love melodies and arrangements and harmonies, so thought does go into the lyrics but it would probably be last on the list!

AW: Your songs, like “Get The Message,” do seem to be message songs. Do you like to write that way?

TLM: It’s tough to ignore the state of the country, so that is going to bleed into things. We have a couple on this record, as I think “Marching On” counts as well. We definitely aren’t preachy, but the constant dismal news we’re all struggling with is going to trickle in.

AW: Do you plan to play any shows?

TLM: Eh, I think we’re all in agreement that those days are behind us. We played a few shows for our 2^nd album, Conrad, but that was almost 10 years ago. Ultimately, we’re just old guys who love recording and making records at this point and we’re happy to keep doing just that.

 The Legal Matters

Lost At Sea

Big Stir Records

This nicely emotional, not melodramatic fusion of Smile and Pet Sounds era Beach Boys with a little bit of Wild Honey thrown in, is as light as a summer’s day, warm and friendly.

These songs are about romantic ups and downs, but never rote, soft-headed or, frankly, stupid. Songs like “Everybody Knows,” “Get The Message,” and “It Doesn't Matter” are smart, and fun.

That “Get The Message” and “Everybody Knows” also could be political adds to the smart fun. Even as the year is young, this is already one of the best albums I’ve heard, and a nice way to take a time out from everything bad happening in the world. It will also get you energized to fight for what’s good.

Andrea Weiss

I remember hearing The Jack Rubies on my local modern rock station, Eatontown, NJ’s WHTG. I liked what I heard a lot, but as I never found their albums I wasn’t able to explore further. But I never forgot about them, so I’m thrilled to hear their new one, Visions In The Bowling Alley, as much as their first comeback record, Clocks Are Out Of Time.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Ian Wright was kind enough to answer a few questions for me. 

Andrea Weiss: Who were you listening to while making the album?

Ian Wright: Viagra Boys, early Roxy/ Eno, Les Rita Mitsouko, Lemmy era Hawkwind, Desmond Dekker (and classic Jamaican vocal harmonies in general), Aldous Harding, The Andrews Sisters, Babyshambles, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band to name a few.

AW: I like the sense of doom that hangs over these songs. Or were you meaning something more positive?

IW: It makes sense that some of these songs have a bit of doom about them, tempered though, we hope, with some good old British satire. “This Is Not A Joke,” which kick started the writing process and kinda led the way to some extent, is very much a comedic exploration of wacky secret societies and cultish goings on. We hope some of that levity also runs through the other more conspiratorial tracks like “Are We Being Recorded?” and “Flying Machine.” And of course, there’s still time for a few pop songs too!

AW: In tone and form, I hear something like Depeche Mode with more guitars. Are they an influence, or if not, who did you have in mind?

IW: That’s interesting and perhaps in the right ballpark, though not really on our radar. We tend to gravitate toward artists with some jokes to counterbalance the angst: N. Cave, M.E. Smith, Moz (in the glory years of course), Edwyn Collins etc. We also really leant into the backing vocals on this record and featured instrumental textures from a number of guest players. The guitars are certainly there but we were interested in opening up the sound of the record with these added elements.

AW: The lyrics seem to be drawn from current events, especially in the US. Do you hate Trump too?

IW: The album was written and predominantly recorded during ‘24, before the US election, so perhaps there’s a case to be made for our prophetic abilities! Since we’ve reformed, subject matter for songs has to some extent been inspired by the complicated world we now live in - we’ve tried to channel some of the ominous energy in the ether, rather than just writing warped love songs - although we can turn our hand to that too! Some of the band are currently living Stateside, and the daily turbulence is exhausting to say the least.

AW: What’s the scene like in England these days?

IW: Politically, also a shit show - not turned up to eleven quite yet. Culturally and musically (perhaps in much the same way as when we were coming up in the late ‘80s), exasperation with the establishment and a feeling of edgy uncertainty can inspire good art. There’s some cool stuff around: The Tubs, The New Eves, The Puncturists, The Lovely Basement…

AW: I like the way you’ve updated late 80s and early 90s college rock and postpunk. Do you think that doing that helps to make the music timeless?

IW: We are a product of that era so it’s in our blood - the songs really come out the only way they can with our particular chemistry, influences and artistic abilities - it’s a porridge of our own making and if it seems to reference a certain musical memory, that’s just a by-product of our process. If it enhances the results, great!

AW: Is there anyone in particular you would want to work with?

IW: Mainly dead people unfortunately. John Parish (PJ Harvey etc.) has a nice touch in the studio. Or Mick Harvey? Maybe Jack White.

AW: Would you ever do any shows in the US?

IW: We have historically played in the States extensively, during our first run. With members now living in both the UK and US, there are logistical and financial hurdles to overcome to do a full blown tour. However, we are exploring ways to perform with available members augmented by guest players, and there are rehearsals in progress to that end, in support of “Visions…,” so stay tuned!

 The Jack Rubies

Visions In The Bowling Alley 

Big Stir Records

The second album from this long running London band continues their comeback, a worthy followup to 2023’s Clocks Are Out Of Time.

While there is still the same sense of doom running through the songs, you never get the sense that things are hopeless. It’s more like catastrophes will happen if something isn't done to stop them, presented in the most grumpy way possible. 

Some of this doom is political, like “Greedy” and “Are We Being Recorded?” and some is about relationships, like “Be Good Or Be Gone,” or “Boat Rocker.”

“Boat Rocker” is also the album's cheeriest song, and that cheer shows that things aren’t hopeless to them. You probably will feel the same if you pick this one up, and I absolutely recommend that you do, as this is the first great album of the year. If you have liked this band’s new run, or their original heyday in the late 80s and early 90s, check this out. Either way you won’t go wrong.  

Andrea Weiss