The Gypsy Moths - Following The Races (2022) Hi-Res

The latest from Boston’s The Gypsy Moths is nine tracks of pure, dance-around-the-house bliss. Combining the seemingly disparate genres of Soul, R&B and garage rock, the sextet have created a hybrid you didn’t know you needed until you heard it.

The horn-heavy album kicks off with “Effortlessly,” which lays out the vibe for what follows, uncomplicated but addictive, danceable Soul with enough grit and grim to appeal even to the sneering punk rockers. There manages to be a bit of a Springsteen feel to the opening song. Elsewhere, they slather a little funk on tracks like “Slow Healer,” and “The Continuing Story of Arthur Duffy” is four minutes of straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. The only weak track here is the nostalgia-heavy “Relievio,” which just sounds out-of-place on this otherwise solid collection.

The band have been churning out their unique brand of rock since 2014, and with Following The Races, they have turned in the perfect summer barroom record, just as ideal for those strutting on the dance floor as it is for the ones sitting in the back nursing a rum drink.