By this stage of the game, you'd think just about every country in the world has spawned at least a few notable rock & roll acts that have also managed to break through to other parts of the world. But Hungary was never exactly considered a hotbed of rock excitement. However, the early 21st century saw the emergence of Budapest's favorite sons,
the Moog, who offered their debut full-length, 2007's
Sold for Tomorrow. And pretty much from the get-go, it becomes apparent that
the Strokes must be awfully popular in
the Moog's homeland, as
Julian Casablancas and co.'s trademark "lazy new wave" style was an obvious influence on the group -- especially on such tracks as "Everybody Wants" and "Never Hide!" Interestingly, despite their name,
the Moog is not a
Rentals or
Moog Cookbook type band, that makes slithery retro synths a cornerstone of their sound. No sir. Instead, it's
Strokes-like guitar strumming and somewhat disinterested/monochromatic vocals. All bands have to start off being influenced by someone... [The CD was also released with a bonus track.] ~ Greg Prato