The fucked-up fondness that myself and several of the cultured folk at Uber Rock have for legendary NYC gutter glam punks Toilet Boys explained why, when starting this wondrous website that you now sit before, guitarist Sean Pierce was one of the first people we approached for an interview.

We followed that up with an interview with the band's vocalist Miss Guy when he was working with GoonSquad a couple of years ago and, it has to be said, the merest mention of anything remotely Toilet Boys-related drives us URsters giddy. Praise the Lord (or Hail Satan - whichever floats your boat) then as Miss Guy releases his debut EP, 'Dumb Blonde'.

Wrapped up in cool cover art depicting a naked self-portrait presented in the style of Bert Stern's infamous 'Last Sitting' photo session with Marilyn Monroe, 'Dumb Blonde' features five tracks that, although showcasing the electro/dance vibe that has seen Guy evolve into a famed DJ, introduce a surprising maturity to the vocalist's shapely body of work.

Co-written with (and produced by) Barbara Jean Morrison and Charles W. Nieland, collectively known as Super Buddha, the EP saunters into the room with its title track, an autobiographical affair that has Guy telling it like it is: "I'm a street walkin' lover but the streets are dead." It's a subtle, intelligent opener fuelled by the lure of the NYC underground scenes of the past. Its bohemian slant and timeless guitar riff make it feel both instantly fresh yet as if you've heard it all before, like a welcome visit from a beloved old friend. With a cheeky "I've been a dumb fuckin' blonde, I've been a rock 'n roll whore," Miss Guy is back.

'Take It Off' follows and is a pulsing example of Guy's fusion of electronica and dance, something that I imagined would fill the entirety of this EP, this, though, being the only example present. Intelligent of lyric and sharply produced, it's hard to keep still while the song plays out, the sound of a vintage arcade video game providing the backbone of the entire track. The song reminds me, strangely, of the childMAN project of Consolidated's Adam Sherburne, an obscure though flattering comparison that may well be.

Described as a '70s teen pop track, 'Magic' breezes out of the speakers in a rush of retro re-animation and, simply, astounds me. Sounding not unlike The Posies, this slice of gorgeous power pop may have been wholly unexpected but is welcomed by these ears, severely: expectation has taken a kicking, a platform shoe to the temple, and it is well deserved; you might not have seen this song coming but, after listening, you'll also not see it leaving in a hurry. This seemingly new found sound isn't limited to just that one winner of a track, however; 'Don't Stop', tagged as a love ballad on the accompanying press sheet, is reminiscent of Fountains Of Wayne at their most poignant. Another surprise, another excellent example of subtle songsmithery.

The fifth and final track of this EP arrives in the form of 'Sometimes'. A fuzzy guitar introduces the gentle vocal and, again, Guy provides a shock of a twist, the song ethereal, dreamlike, until it breaks out at around the three minute mark into a grunged-out slowburner. Who would've thought that a new release from Miss Guy would leave me with thoughts of the aforementioned Fountains Of Wayne and The Posies, Dillon Fence and Nada Surf thrown in for good measure?

Miss Guy grows up? The maturity and subtlety exhibited over the running time of this extended player proves just one thing; Miss Guy is growing up gracefully. His look and outlandish behaviour may well have been cherry picked by the wanton, by the semi precious frontmen of this world, but Miss Guy proves with this release that, despite a trashy reputation, he can stand atop a mountain of beautiful people looking down on the uglies with true dignity.

www.missguy.net