Guster grows up with new album

So I’m sitting here listening to Guster’s new album, Ganging Up on the Sun, and I keep thinking, “Wow, this is Guster?” Don’t get me wrong, the melodies, the songwriting, all the good stuff, is still there. But there’s something different. Something more somber, more mature about the tone of the album.

Long-gone are the bongos of yesterday, the goofy head-bopping ditties and poppy “fa fa” choruses. No, this Guster is different.

The most pronounced departure is in the song "Ruby Falls," a seven-minute symphonic masterpiece. Or "Satellite" with its (dare I say?) psychedelic keyboard interludes. Maybe it's "C'mon" with its simple construction and driving bass riff — with a little banjo and B3 thrown in for good measure.

But never fear, old school Guster fans, there's something for everyone here.

I dare you to not bop your head just a little to the driving guitars of "Dear Valentine," or tap your foot to "The Beginning of the End" (appropriately, the next-to-last-song on the album), which has a similar feel to "Red Oyster Cult" and has been called "the one that rocks" in the band's studio journal. And yeah, then there's the single, "One Man Wrecking Machine," (see the video here).

Will everyone like it? Probably not. Are they crazy not to? Oh yeah.

Val's picks for iTunes (or other legal service) download: "C'mon," "Ruby Falls," "One Man Wrecking Machine." But really, just do yourself a favor, plop down $10 and get the whole album.

Guster will play at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary July 18 with Ray LaMontagne and the Fruit Bats. General admission tickets are $33 in advance and $35 day of the show and are available at your favorite Ticketmaster outlet.