As a writer, I’m not so sure about that old adage, “Never judge a book by its cover.” I mean, just look at all the modern romance novels being released today, with their bright, minimalist cartoon covers featuring will-they/won’t-they couples plastered across them. Before that, we had covers made up of close-up pictures of ties, handcuffs, or some other random object — pioneered, of course, by Fifty Shades of Grey. And even earlier, there were the classic “clinch covers,” with a damsel swooning in some hunk’s arms. Yeah, I can usually tell exactly what kind of book I’m in for just by the cover. The only complication is that you can’t tell how good it will be…
And though I’m no musician, I’m not so sure you can’t judge a record by its cover either. With Guess Method’s latest EP, Retrosight, I knew I was in for a good time the moment I saw it. The cover art shows a woman sunning herself in a beam of light bounced off a disco ball, which strikes her face. It’s seductive, comical, and most of all, drenched in ’70s and ’80s vibes. And that’s exactly what Guess Method delivers: a funky, jazzy, ’70s/’80s-infused good time.
Guess Method was formed in 2018 at the University of Rhode Island, and the lineup has stayed consistent since: Luca Simeone on vocals, keyboard, and trumpet; Miles Duhamel on guitar; Christian Cerrone on vocals and guitar; Chris Grady on drums; and Matthew Fuller on bass. According to their own “About” page on Spotify, they call themselves “indie funk,” which is as good a label as any, though it only scratches the surface of what their distinct sound really is. Guess Method fuses elements of funk, rock, jazz, and soft rock into one of RI’s most unique musical groups.
Part of why Guess Method clicks so well for me is because their music is reminiscent of what first got me into electronic music years ago. Back in middle school, I was obsessed with dubstep and glitchhop, but I also fell deep into “nu disco.” Through that rabbit hole, I discovered artists like Kavinsky — whose music ended up in Drive, the ultra-masculine cult film that made synths cool again. It’s all very nostalgic, and so it’s no wonder Guess Method’s EP is titled Retrosight.
The band had released five singles before the EP (their entire discography is currently made up of 13 tracks, a perfect number for anyone trying to get into listening to a new band). Their earliest release, “Think on It,” is a sprawling six-minute instrumental and one of my favorites. “Hogtied,” another instrumental, works just as well. Other highlights include “Natural Affection,” which feels like a lost Jamiroquai B-side (Jamiroquai being one of the most popular acts to ever bridge acid jazz and pop) and “Old News,” their 2021 single, which leans into a bluesier sound, showing off their ability to slip into different genres seemingly without any effort.
Then came the EP in which we are here to review, Retrosight. The title track, “Retrosight,” scratches that modern jazz itch perfectly. Its grooves and chord progressions remind me of the Persona 5 soundtrack, one of the slickest, most bombastic video game soundtracks of recent memory.
The two tracks “Part III” and especially “The River (Gotta Be)” reminds me of John Mayer’s Continuum era, leaning into smooth pop-rock territory. These songs channel one of their newer singles, “Save the World” as well as “Indifferent,” released back in 2022. They’re all standouts in a lean, mean discography.
If I had to place Guess Method somewhere in the broader musical landscape, I’d say they sit comfortably alongside Parcels, Jungle (especially the Soulwax remix of “Julia”), and even beside some of Starworld’s indie funk tracks like “Get Down Tonight.” Their ability to bounce between disco and jazz makes them hard to pin down, and sometimes I find myself wishing they leaned even harder into more spastic, chaotic jazz, much like Knower (one of my all time favorite bands), just to hear how far they could push their sound.
Since the Retrosight EP, Guess Method has been busy releasing singles that show just how wide their range is. Their August release, “Sun City,” feels almost like Rex Orange County or Benny Sings — breezy and summery. There’s even an alternate instrumental version, which honestly might be my favorite. It even reminded me of Wang Chung’s To Live and Die in L.A. soundtrack — an underrated soundtrack to an underrated movie. In fact, the track from the film, “Wake Up Stop Dreaming,” was my most-played song of 2023.
But there is one song off the EP in particular that I haven’t yet mentioned, and that is the intro track “Welcome.” It’s this song that I believe is truly firing on all cylinders. It’s another instrumental, and I can’t help but notice that all my true favorites of Guess Method’s happen to be instrumentals. That isn’t to say that Guess Method’s lyrics or vocals fall flat, but instead when the lyrics drop away, you can really hear the epic quality of their arrangements, like they’re scoring a stylish 1980s film. It’s in tracks like “Welcome” and “Hogtied” when their buildups and crescendos reach their peak. “Welcome” shows off an amazing Daft Punk build, which highlights it as the kind of song that could slide easily into one of my nu disco playlists from 2012. It’s the highlight of the whole album for me, channeling the exact sort of disco-funk-electronica crossover that first hooked me as a tween.
Guess Method is still in the early stages of their career, but they’ve already built a strong reputation in New England. This fall they’re playing The Lizard Lounge in Cambridge on October 10, and Stella Blues in New Haven on November 1.
That steady live schedule, combined with their growing body of studio work, suggests a band just starting to hit its stride. They’re versatile enough to play weddings, ambitious enough to put out concept-driven EPs, and talented enough to pull it all off.
For now, their discography might be small. But between Retrosight, the standout singles, and their killer live shows, Guess Method is already one of Rhode Island’s most exciting bands. •