The EP put's it's best foot forward with slick and sexy track "Man Up." I have said it time and time again, but for the first-time-reader's benefit, I'll say it again. I absolutely love girl power pop. This song is all about being a strong woman, and this song should be an anthem for every woman (and gay man, too). It's all about giving your boyfriend an ultimatum. Either he acts like a man should or he gets the boot. There isn't a lot of fancy wording or metaphors, but the song does perfectly without them. This track is exactly what I've been craving from the girl-pop genre. Go figure it's from Europe.
The action doesn't stop with the second track on the album. "L.A. At Night" ends up feeling a bit more mainstream, probably because of it's geographical references and vocal stuttering (made popular by Ke$ha, of course). I really like the song, but it doesn't scream "single" to me, and I think that with an EP release with a limited track numbering, every song should be single-ready.
Thankfully things pick back up with "Sweet Liar". I adore this song beyond everything else, and being their last single, it was my gateway single for them. This track is a power ballad, and the only thing I like better than girl pop is a good power ballad. Being about betrayal, without going too deep into details, the track is very relatable. This is also the strongest vocal performance of the three together in the group of tracks, and given they sound on point on every song, this is definitely saying something.
A bit of a confusing part is that the track "Louder" has a subtitle "Say My Name Mix", but when compared to the original 2011 version, it doesn't seem to be anything but a re-recording with a few tweaks to update it and have it flow with the new tracks more easily. I don't exactly get what changed here, but I'm glad it was included. This was a very early Ms Trez song that has kept with the fans and remained one of their top-selling tracks on iTunes to date. It was nice to have the sort of evolution of Trez (albeit in reverse somewhat due to the track listing) with this release.
Closing off the new material is "Y.E.A.H.". This song initially had me excited, because I love me a song that spells out some words. Unfortunately, it was misleading. That doesn't mean the song is bad, though. The line "DJ play our freakin' song" is cute and sassy. This is also the track where the album's title comes from, giving it an even more special place in the lineup. Can we say future single? Of all the tracks, I think this would make the funnest video, even if "Sweet Liar" is the most well-crafted. This is also a track that has been around for a good while -- just about as long as "Louder" -- but never saw the light of day until this release. Holding onto a track for that long has gotta mean something.
The album is rounded out with a remix of "Sweet Liar" by Milo Mix and DJ Da Silva and a version of "Louder" sang in Swedish.
It has been a while since I've seen a solid Girl Pop genre release. The US is nearly void of any girl groups period, making Ms Trez a breath of fresh air. And what is even better is that they have a distinct sound with distinct voices, keeping them far away from other European acts of the same genre that tend to blend together. They have made an impression with Beat's Our Guide that has expanded far beyond my limited scope of them.
I do have this to say, however. They have come a long way from their first single, but they also have a long way to go. I know music is an expensive business to get into, but they have been slowly releasing tracks since 2011, and it's now well into 2013 and we are just now seeing an EP. Compound this with the fact that most of the singles they've pumped out over the past two years have been promo singles not included on any official release and you've got a bit of a headache. I guess what I'm saying is with this particular group I could personally use some consistency release wise, not really musical wise.
That one small complain aside, Beat's Our Guide is a great way to get into Ms Trez. Not only does it establish that they are talented, it also gives you a clear look at what they are wanting to produce. Will it be for everyone? No. But if you are looking for a girl group with a bit of attitude and a tendency for girl-power tunes, then you've found what you are looking for.
Pick up the EP on iTunes.
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