by MacKenzie WilsonShould you be in search of another pop band that will steal your rock & roll heart as much as Echo & the Bunnymen and the Church did throughout the 1980s heyday of romantic post-punk, then the Favourite Sons should leave you swooning in no time. The Brooklyn-based quintet features Justin Tripp (guitar) and Matt Werth (bass), both formerly of the neo-psychedelic group Aspera; ex-Rollerskate Skinny frontman Ken Griffin (vocals); Carmine DeGennaro (guitar); and A.J. Edmiston (drums). The Favourite Sons confront the typical book of daily hardships on Down Beside Your Beauty. From the brooding Leonard Cohen-esque "Tear the Room Apart" and the tearful regret of "Pistols & Girls" to brighter power pop moments such as "No One Ever Dies Young," the Favourite Sons make a daring first impression. They manage to channel hints of various post-punk styles without repetition. Having worked with James Oldham, grandson to famed Rolling Stones producer Andrew Loog Oldham, on their debut EP Treason, it's nice to see that Victor Van Vugt (Beth Orton, Billy Bragg) kept the the Favourite Sons grounded on Down Beside Your Beauty. For further proof of what they're capable of, check out the brassy guitar riffs of "Hang On, Girl." Sure, it jangles like any great Echo & the Bunnymen song, but with Griffin's aching heart yearning, "Take my hand/I'll do what I can/Hang on, girl/I know you've grown so tired of your fellow man," the Favourite Sons make indie rock fun again.