Many local bands gripe about not enjoying airplay on radio stations like 97X or 98Rock but don't exactly boast songs that would appeal to a mainstream audience. Not so with Knowing Stu. Catchy with just enough edge to keep things interesting, their new full-length teems with radio-ready tracks such as the opener "Never Knew." On it, Tina Louise wails passionately over a series of crunchy, slightly jagged guitar riffs propelled by a jet-stream rhythm section. The fact that a woman fronts Knowing Stu invites comparisons to Garbage, which should be interpreted as a good thing. 3.5 stars
This article appears in Aug 29 – Sep 4, 2007.