3 out of 5

Produced by: D. Sardy

Label: PIAS

The brothers Dewaele would go on to have quite a following as 2manydjs and thanks to their Radio Soulwax site, leading to a resurgence in the late 2010s with more electronic-focused albums under their Soulwax moniker.  Starting out, though, they were very much a pop-rock band, fittingly partnering with metal / rock crossover producer Dave Sardy to pump up the riffs on their otherwise lightweight Much Against Everyone’s Advice.  When those riffs hit, the tracks clearly stand out: aggressive opener Conversation Intercom has a bevy of guitars and a soaring chorus; the title track and Too Many DJ’s follow suit with equally successful results.  Elsewhere, predictable lyrics and watered down pop craft result in pleasing, if not too memorable, tracks, the group’s desire to mix and match songs tropes with electronica manipulations at odds with the rock persona they were trying to cultivate at this point and getting in the way of an identifiable ‘sound’ from emerging.  But Sardy works his magic on what’s here, propping up some generic tunes with head-bobbing highs, which the Dewaele’s and crew effect skillfully.