Note: Cross-posted tonight at Blogcritics via this link.
Houston, Texas is home to up-and-coming instrumental post-rock group Motion Turns It On. Their debut EP Rima is sure to make plenty of noise in the progressive alternative rock scene and may even give some of their Texas brethren a run for their money.
This release's six songs contain enthusiastic and frankly top notch musicianship and production for a band making their debut here. So, what or who do they sound like? It's tough to say but they could be seen as a somewhat louder, math rock version of Austin, Texas instrumental, ambient post-rock band Explosions In The Sky. Their often adventurous yet structured progressions and aggressive, jagged edged riffs and sometimes dreamy/spacey sounds also shows traces of the Mars Volta (minus the vocals). But again, just when you think you've heard this before, the music veers off into new directions, thus making it hard to pinpoint to any one group. It is however, a brand of instrumental post-rock, unique as it is.
The standout track on Rima is "Satelightning," with its soaring, mournful and almost shoegazer-like guitars and piano licks that match that emotion. Guitarist William Kenny's swirling six-string action is complimented by a tight and highly expressive rhythm section, with Derek Sinquefield on bass and Steve Smith on the skins. And on this track, as on others, Smith alternates between complex, speedy rhythms and slower, simpler ones with ease, while Sinquefield hops around the high and lows strings of his bass, never content to just stay in one place for any length of time.
"Southern Diatribe" is an epic ten-minute prog rocker that evolves into a spacey frontier nearly halfway through, highlighting keyboardist Andres Londono's work. The leadoff and self-titled track "Rima" is perhaps their loudest, full-on rock tune and where you can hear comparisons to the Mars Volta come into fruition. "Spitekyte" builds into a powerful, organ-aided tune that nearly matches "Rima"' in loudness and intensity. And "Daily Juice" starts out like early Verve before the band's dreamy/psychedelic-math-and-prog rock fusion takes over.
Though Motion Turns It On hasn't been on the scene for too long, they are sure to turn lots of heads with this debut. It is impressive, dynamic, aggressive, psychedelic and just plain solid throughout. With an outing like this, expectations for an equally excellent debut album should grow, and from what I hear, the band has added a fifth member (Benjamin O Konski on keys/percussion) and is trying out even more new sounds: trumpets, samples, and vocals, any or all of which should figure into MTIO's next release.
They may not have a record label (yet), but they have their own sound, and an East Coast tour in the works, according to 1-Up PR.
Motion Turns It On's Rima EP is out and available now for purchase at iTunes.
For more info on the band, go to their myspace page.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Music Review: Paul Van Dyk - In Between CD
World famous German-born DJ and producer Paul van Dyk is back after four years with his fifth proper album, the just-released CD In Between, and his first studio output since being nominated for a Grammy (2005) for his last album Reflections.
While some fans and critics, fairly or unfairly, dissed that album's (car) commercial appeal - it even featured a guest rapper, a la Paul Oakenfold's "Starry-Eyed Surprise" - and for being both trendy and behind the times, this new release is an almost back-to-basics trance album. Almost.
For those who still enjoy the idea of physically buying CDs, this album flows as a continuous mix CD - unless you order it digitally, which comes unmixed. That works for the care-free listener, one with a long-term attention span. And In Between is indeed long, running nearly seventy-eight minutes total. But it could have been even longer and perhaps marketed as a double album if PVD wanted, because he wrote twenty-eight songs over three years for the In Between project. Instead, he settled on the current set of tracks, plus a bonus track called "Next Generation" that was offered only on pre-orders of the album on iTunes.
The first single, "White Lies," features personal, yet catchy and confident vocals from one Jessica Sutta of the Pussycat Dolls and is already heating up the charts, having landed at the #8 spot on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart. Its heavy, thumping beats and synths, and the very pretty, reverb-heavy, harp-fueled and twinkle star melodies, during extensive breakdowns and elsewhere, characterize this standout track, even if it's van Dyk's latest and not so subtle attempt to crossover into today's dance pop phenomenon.
Not that it's a bad thing, of course, but unlike some past attempts, this performance will most likely gin up more praise than cries of sellout or blatant trend follower, which would be the ultimate insult for this electronic music pioneer. Part of PVD's genius as a producer this time around is to take new sounds and material not heard before on previous albums and use them to modernize trance and keep it sounding fresh, even while crossing the roads of familiar genres every now and then.
For people who like to be entertained for short lengths of time, about two-thirds of the seventeen tracks are under five minutes, including most of the poppier and sure-to-be hit singles which, depending on which track, incorporate elements of everything from electro-house ("White Lies") to a 'lil rock guitar.
Other highlights include lead-off track (and personal favorite) "Haunted," which features the angelic vocals of Lo-Fi Sugar singing over calm, swelling synths and light, electronic beats, and "Let Go," which was co-written by Rea Garvey of popular (at least in Europe) German rock band Reamonn. Reminiscent of the under-appreciated Junkie XL, it not only includes a bit of distorted electric guitar but actual drums as well, and Garvey's vocals even get Bono-ish at times during the song.
Van Dyk's long, progressive trance tracks on In Between, like the shorter, poppier songs are multi-layered with all kinds of effects, electronic sounds, and other instruments. But the long ones are arguably the heart of the disc: songs like "Another Sunday" (which samples Probspot's "Blows My Mind") and "Complicated," one of three tracks featuring the beautiful voice of singer/songwriter Ashley Tomberlin.
Not every song and collaborative effort churns out a memorable tune, however. The Wayne Jackson-led "Stormy Skies" fails to make an impression and is just too gloomy for the liking. But lapses of good songwriting don't last long. Piano flourishes highlight mid-album instrumental "In Circles," while live strings - conducted by Dietmar Menzinger - and the Talking Heads' David Byrne's never-aging vocals on "Fall With Me" end the long player on a high note.
In all, In Between has some memorable moments and instant classics, and enough other well-written material to qualify this album as a winner, and the first clear-cut one since 2000's Out There And Back, which is also perhaps its closest comparison as well. IB isn't an instant classic itself or trend setter, but then again, it ain't easy to make one in a genre that is arguably long past its prime and that he had helped define and shape in the 1990s. But one of the world's best DJ's has managed to pull off a mildly impressive, if slightly flawed trance record...in the year 2007. That is a success in and of itself.
For more information on Paul van Dyk, go to his official site, myspace page, or VONYC Radio.
This article was first posted on Blogcritics.org on 8/22/07.
While some fans and critics, fairly or unfairly, dissed that album's (car) commercial appeal - it even featured a guest rapper, a la Paul Oakenfold's "Starry-Eyed Surprise" - and for being both trendy and behind the times, this new release is an almost back-to-basics trance album. Almost.
For those who still enjoy the idea of physically buying CDs, this album flows as a continuous mix CD - unless you order it digitally, which comes unmixed. That works for the care-free listener, one with a long-term attention span. And In Between is indeed long, running nearly seventy-eight minutes total. But it could have been even longer and perhaps marketed as a double album if PVD wanted, because he wrote twenty-eight songs over three years for the In Between project. Instead, he settled on the current set of tracks, plus a bonus track called "Next Generation" that was offered only on pre-orders of the album on iTunes.
The first single, "White Lies," features personal, yet catchy and confident vocals from one Jessica Sutta of the Pussycat Dolls and is already heating up the charts, having landed at the #8 spot on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart. Its heavy, thumping beats and synths, and the very pretty, reverb-heavy, harp-fueled and twinkle star melodies, during extensive breakdowns and elsewhere, characterize this standout track, even if it's van Dyk's latest and not so subtle attempt to crossover into today's dance pop phenomenon.
Not that it's a bad thing, of course, but unlike some past attempts, this performance will most likely gin up more praise than cries of sellout or blatant trend follower, which would be the ultimate insult for this electronic music pioneer. Part of PVD's genius as a producer this time around is to take new sounds and material not heard before on previous albums and use them to modernize trance and keep it sounding fresh, even while crossing the roads of familiar genres every now and then.
For people who like to be entertained for short lengths of time, about two-thirds of the seventeen tracks are under five minutes, including most of the poppier and sure-to-be hit singles which, depending on which track, incorporate elements of everything from electro-house ("White Lies") to a 'lil rock guitar.
Other highlights include lead-off track (and personal favorite) "Haunted," which features the angelic vocals of Lo-Fi Sugar singing over calm, swelling synths and light, electronic beats, and "Let Go," which was co-written by Rea Garvey of popular (at least in Europe) German rock band Reamonn. Reminiscent of the under-appreciated Junkie XL, it not only includes a bit of distorted electric guitar but actual drums as well, and Garvey's vocals even get Bono-ish at times during the song.
Van Dyk's long, progressive trance tracks on In Between, like the shorter, poppier songs are multi-layered with all kinds of effects, electronic sounds, and other instruments. But the long ones are arguably the heart of the disc: songs like "Another Sunday" (which samples Probspot's "Blows My Mind") and "Complicated," one of three tracks featuring the beautiful voice of singer/songwriter Ashley Tomberlin.
Not every song and collaborative effort churns out a memorable tune, however. The Wayne Jackson-led "Stormy Skies" fails to make an impression and is just too gloomy for the liking. But lapses of good songwriting don't last long. Piano flourishes highlight mid-album instrumental "In Circles," while live strings - conducted by Dietmar Menzinger - and the Talking Heads' David Byrne's never-aging vocals on "Fall With Me" end the long player on a high note.
In all, In Between has some memorable moments and instant classics, and enough other well-written material to qualify this album as a winner, and the first clear-cut one since 2000's Out There And Back, which is also perhaps its closest comparison as well. IB isn't an instant classic itself or trend setter, but then again, it ain't easy to make one in a genre that is arguably long past its prime and that he had helped define and shape in the 1990s. But one of the world's best DJ's has managed to pull off a mildly impressive, if slightly flawed trance record...in the year 2007. That is a success in and of itself.
For more information on Paul van Dyk, go to his official site, myspace page, or VONYC Radio.
This article was first posted on Blogcritics.org on 8/22/07.
Music Review: Unwritten Law - The Hit List
Since 1990, San Diego's Unwritten Law have released five studio albums, a live album (in 2003), and a greatest hits collection, which came out early in 2007 on Abydos Records. From the skate punk of their early days and the power pop of their peak years, to the hard rock (some say "post grunge") of their later material, it's all here among nineteen tracks, plus an unlisted twentieth cut.
Unlike a lot of bands who make you buy a best-of album full of songs already in your collection just for one or two new tracks, Unwritten Law decided to head into the studio and re-record fourteen of their best known and most beloved tracks. They also throw in two new songs here, and include three from their 2005 release Here's To The Mourning as is.
Not since The Cure recorded acoustic versions of eighteen of their best hits (as a second disc) over five years ago, has a band come up with a cooler way to both reward longtime fans, while summing up a long, fruitful career for more casual listeners.
With the exception of "Rest Of My Life," a Top 20 modern rock hit taken from 2003's live and acoustic Music In High Places, most of the new versions will sound slightly heavier than the originals. This is because the guitars and bass are tuned a bit lower (Eb tuning instead of the standard E natural tuning on most original versions).
Having said that, the arrangements of these songs aren't drastically different. The band is now a four-piece — after losing longtime guitarist Rob Brewer and drummer Wade Youman a few years ago. The latter was replaced by Tony Palermo of Pulley in 2005, and singer Scott Russo has taken on the role as the occasional second guitarist for the band.
Of all the redone tracks, perhaps the most improved of them is "California Sky," which is the second of three straight aces taken from Unwritten Law's best album, 1998's Unwritten Law. Loud guitars, light harmonics, a tambourine, and a much better guitar solo (by guitarist Steve Morris) than the original, makes this an instant standout. "Harmonic" is only different in that the intro no longer includes a last second tuneup. Palermo is as fast and aggressive as his predecessor here and elsewhere on the disc.
"Superman," from their second album Oz Factor (1996) is slowed-down on the re-recorded version, allowing the melody to stick out a bit more. The original version channeled their inner Green Day.
The opening bone-crushing chords of the 2002 hit "Up All Night," the borderline ska-ish upstrokes that follow in the verses, and an acoustic-aided bridge make this well-rounded rocker one of the true highlights of their career. The new version isn't much different, as it remains an anthem for those restless youths (and those who live to be forever young) who would happily answer Russo's in-song question, "What's wrong with kickin' it when you're bored and lit?"
Nothing, you say? Well, then "smoke some cigarettes" and "fire up another roach" as you watch "the sun come up again," and again...and so on.
Speaking of bone-crushing, "Celebration Song," from 2005's Here's To The Mourning may be the heaviest song UL ever recorded, with dropped D tuned guitars and bass, and explosive riffs that would make the Deftones crack a smile. That album marked a big change for the band's sound, and arguably its best moments are included here.
Pretty much all of the fan favorites are included on The Hit List, including their number one hit "Seein' Red," (from 2002's Elva CD). Though "Mean Girl" or "Holiday" could've made the cut — perhaps at the expense of a so-so track like "Rescue Me," also from Elva. But it is worth noting that some of the choice cuts here are collaborations (at least on the lyric sheet) with some familiar names.
Linda Perry, a very in-demand songwriter/producer who fronted early 1990s one-hit wonders 4 Non Blondes and has since worked with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Ziggy Marley, Fischerspooner, and Courtney Love co-wrote the Top 5 hit "Save Me."
Russo's girlfriend Aimee Allen also co-wrote the lyrics to this song, as well as most other tracks on the album it's taken from, Here's To The Mourning. Allen has been getting more exposure in her own right as of late. Lupe Fiasco incorporated her "Stripper Friends" into hit single "We All Want The Same Thing" this year, and her song "Cooties" appears on the soundtrack to this year's popular remake of the 1988 movie Hairspray.
Hollywood, California rapper Mickey Avalon co-wrote the heavy, post-grunge rocker "Should've Known Better" (the first of two new tracks), though Russo does the rapping on the version that opens this album. He's not bad and sounds like he's having fun doing it. Avalon's own raps appear on the unlisted version of "Should've Known Better" at the end of the CD (track 20).
Phil Jamieson, of Australian rock band Grinspoon, co-wrote the excellent "She Says," and A. Jay Popoff, lead singer of fellow veteran California pop punk rockers Lit co-wrote the lyrics to the second and less impressive of the two new tracks, "Welcome To Oblivion."
Of course, no UL compilation would be complete without their breakout 1999 hit "Cailin," which is aided only by a slightly more modern production on the new version. The same is true for other older tracks, including "C.P.K.," from their first album Blue Room and the Blink 182-ish "Shallow," from Oz Factor.
In all, The Hit List is about as complete a summary of Unwritten Law's career as you'll likely come across, given all the record label changes over the years. And though there are a couple of questionable inclusions and omissions, it is a must-have for any longtime Unwritten Law fan, and a more than satisfying release for the uninitiated and curious. They may have had limited commercial success over their seventeen-year career, but Unwritten Law's combination of power pop and punk rock is on par with anything their highly successful peers (like Lit, Blink 182) ever did. And they're not done yet.
For more info on the band, go to their Myspace page.
Note: This was first posted on Blogcritics.org on 8/14/07.
Unlike a lot of bands who make you buy a best-of album full of songs already in your collection just for one or two new tracks, Unwritten Law decided to head into the studio and re-record fourteen of their best known and most beloved tracks. They also throw in two new songs here, and include three from their 2005 release Here's To The Mourning as is.
Not since The Cure recorded acoustic versions of eighteen of their best hits (as a second disc) over five years ago, has a band come up with a cooler way to both reward longtime fans, while summing up a long, fruitful career for more casual listeners.
With the exception of "Rest Of My Life," a Top 20 modern rock hit taken from 2003's live and acoustic Music In High Places, most of the new versions will sound slightly heavier than the originals. This is because the guitars and bass are tuned a bit lower (Eb tuning instead of the standard E natural tuning on most original versions).
Having said that, the arrangements of these songs aren't drastically different. The band is now a four-piece — after losing longtime guitarist Rob Brewer and drummer Wade Youman a few years ago. The latter was replaced by Tony Palermo of Pulley in 2005, and singer Scott Russo has taken on the role as the occasional second guitarist for the band.
Of all the redone tracks, perhaps the most improved of them is "California Sky," which is the second of three straight aces taken from Unwritten Law's best album, 1998's Unwritten Law. Loud guitars, light harmonics, a tambourine, and a much better guitar solo (by guitarist Steve Morris) than the original, makes this an instant standout. "Harmonic" is only different in that the intro no longer includes a last second tuneup. Palermo is as fast and aggressive as his predecessor here and elsewhere on the disc.
"Superman," from their second album Oz Factor (1996) is slowed-down on the re-recorded version, allowing the melody to stick out a bit more. The original version channeled their inner Green Day.
The opening bone-crushing chords of the 2002 hit "Up All Night," the borderline ska-ish upstrokes that follow in the verses, and an acoustic-aided bridge make this well-rounded rocker one of the true highlights of their career. The new version isn't much different, as it remains an anthem for those restless youths (and those who live to be forever young) who would happily answer Russo's in-song question, "What's wrong with kickin' it when you're bored and lit?"
Nothing, you say? Well, then "smoke some cigarettes" and "fire up another roach" as you watch "the sun come up again," and again...and so on.
Speaking of bone-crushing, "Celebration Song," from 2005's Here's To The Mourning may be the heaviest song UL ever recorded, with dropped D tuned guitars and bass, and explosive riffs that would make the Deftones crack a smile. That album marked a big change for the band's sound, and arguably its best moments are included here.
Pretty much all of the fan favorites are included on The Hit List, including their number one hit "Seein' Red," (from 2002's Elva CD). Though "Mean Girl" or "Holiday" could've made the cut — perhaps at the expense of a so-so track like "Rescue Me," also from Elva. But it is worth noting that some of the choice cuts here are collaborations (at least on the lyric sheet) with some familiar names.
Linda Perry, a very in-demand songwriter/producer who fronted early 1990s one-hit wonders 4 Non Blondes and has since worked with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Ziggy Marley, Fischerspooner, and Courtney Love co-wrote the Top 5 hit "Save Me."
Russo's girlfriend Aimee Allen also co-wrote the lyrics to this song, as well as most other tracks on the album it's taken from, Here's To The Mourning. Allen has been getting more exposure in her own right as of late. Lupe Fiasco incorporated her "Stripper Friends" into hit single "We All Want The Same Thing" this year, and her song "Cooties" appears on the soundtrack to this year's popular remake of the 1988 movie Hairspray.
Hollywood, California rapper Mickey Avalon co-wrote the heavy, post-grunge rocker "Should've Known Better" (the first of two new tracks), though Russo does the rapping on the version that opens this album. He's not bad and sounds like he's having fun doing it. Avalon's own raps appear on the unlisted version of "Should've Known Better" at the end of the CD (track 20).
Phil Jamieson, of Australian rock band Grinspoon, co-wrote the excellent "She Says," and A. Jay Popoff, lead singer of fellow veteran California pop punk rockers Lit co-wrote the lyrics to the second and less impressive of the two new tracks, "Welcome To Oblivion."
Of course, no UL compilation would be complete without their breakout 1999 hit "Cailin," which is aided only by a slightly more modern production on the new version. The same is true for other older tracks, including "C.P.K.," from their first album Blue Room and the Blink 182-ish "Shallow," from Oz Factor.
In all, The Hit List is about as complete a summary of Unwritten Law's career as you'll likely come across, given all the record label changes over the years. And though there are a couple of questionable inclusions and omissions, it is a must-have for any longtime Unwritten Law fan, and a more than satisfying release for the uninitiated and curious. They may have had limited commercial success over their seventeen-year career, but Unwritten Law's combination of power pop and punk rock is on par with anything their highly successful peers (like Lit, Blink 182) ever did. And they're not done yet.
For more info on the band, go to their Myspace page.
Note: This was first posted on Blogcritics.org on 8/14/07.
Monday, August 13, 2007
CD Review: The Junior Varsity - Cinematographic
Note: This review was first published on Blogcritics 8-08-07
Springfield, Illinois' ambitious sons and rising stars The Junior Varsity have released their third album in four years, Cinematographic, and if you've never heard of them until recently, just know this: they are not your average emo rock group. Their often sophisticated sound can be traced back to a broad range of influences, from their peers to classic rock of yesteryear.
Many fans and critics alike agree that 2004's debut The Great Compromise, which was released on a small, startup label (British Records), was an amazing accomplishment with impressive musicianship for a young band, and had them compared to the likes of Alkaline Trio and Jimmy Eat World. Since forming in 2002, the quintet have literally grown from boys to men, as they are nearing their mid-20s now.
In 2005 though, second effort Wide Eyed, their first for Victory Records, had its moments (including some where The Police influences manifest itself), but was more or less viewed as a step back from their debut.
Now, seemingly everyone is excited for TJV's new record, and keyboardist/saxophonist Nick Dodson thinks so highly of Cinematographic that in a recent press release he considered it to be "leaps-and-bounds better" than Wide Eyed, "in terms of the musicianship, songwriting and melodies." This critic is inclined to agree.
After a couple of spins of the album, it's not too hard to realize that The Junior Varsity really is a cut above their contemporaries. Sure, they use power chords at-will, but the song arrangements are never dull, sometimes prog rock-ish, and would definitely give Guitar World transcribers long nights at a time, as guitarists Andy Wildrick and Sergio Coronado constantly riff and phrase their way through verses, choruses, breakdowns, all the way to the end of many songs (check out "Under The Radar," "Lifted," "The Greatest"). This doesn't always translate into memorable songs ("The Importance of Being Important"), but there are plenty of those on this album, and producer Mike Watts (Hopesfall, As Tall As Lions) no doubt had a hand in bringing out the best in TJV here.
On "I Went Blind," the song's intro and Chris Birch's powerhouse drumming recalls the Foo Fighters at first. Sunny, jittery (electric) guitar, acoustic guitar phrases and vibes quiet things down for the verses, and the chorus gets the multiple vocal treatment; its mid-level and high but not whiny pitches sound a bit like Dashboard Confessional. But again, no whiny emo here. "The Sky!" sports psychedelic flourishes, along with flashy and artful hard rock riffs.
At the start of "St. Louis," bass player/singer Asa Dawson's vocals instantly recall John Linnell (of They Might Be Giants), but soon enough, the quirky, jangly feel of the track evolves into what the band considers a Say Anything-meets-The Strokes rocker. Which is to say the track mixes slightly distorted guitars over a toe-tappin' rhythm section with several bursts of heavier riffs and short solos. Thus, it makes for a damn good power pop number.
Listening to "The Greatest" - not a Cat Power cover - makes you understand why the band has toured with the likes of Panic! At The Disco, as Dawson's voice climbs pretty high during the chorus. However, TJV's pure, raw hard rock instincts kick into high gear near the end as Dawson sings of Armageddon: "Don't worry about the signs/This world is coming to an end I think we all know". The song's furious, kickass closing riffs are headbanger-worthy, though its start-stop tempos may mess with your head, should you try.
The back-to-back-to-back tracks "Memory Made Easy," "Try To Define," and title track "Cinematographic" highlight and sum up everything TJV is about. "Memory Made Easy" is a lovely acoustic-based and dare I say Jimmy Page-influenced instrumental, complete with light keyboard work and cello. Stunning in its beauty and technically proficient in its execution, this is without a doubt my favorite song on the record. "Try To Define," with its pretty, ascending and descending guitar and piano lines in the verses and a punk-inspired chorus is another standout emo-pop song. And perhaps different than anything TJV has tried before is the swinging track "Cinematographic," a softer, jazz-edged tune featuring Dodson on saxophone. The fact that a band like The Junior Varsity can pull off tracks as varied as those three in the course of one album is quite an accomplishment.
Overall, Cinematographic and its rockin', mostly guitar-based (no offense to Dodson) work of art gives you the type of hope and excitement for this genre of rock that Hot Rod Circuit once did. Though it's not perfect, it's close (4 out of 5 stars) and very highly recommended.
Fore more info on the band, visit the Victory Records website and TJV's myspace page.
Springfield, Illinois' ambitious sons and rising stars The Junior Varsity have released their third album in four years, Cinematographic, and if you've never heard of them until recently, just know this: they are not your average emo rock group. Their often sophisticated sound can be traced back to a broad range of influences, from their peers to classic rock of yesteryear.
Many fans and critics alike agree that 2004's debut The Great Compromise, which was released on a small, startup label (British Records), was an amazing accomplishment with impressive musicianship for a young band, and had them compared to the likes of Alkaline Trio and Jimmy Eat World. Since forming in 2002, the quintet have literally grown from boys to men, as they are nearing their mid-20s now.
In 2005 though, second effort Wide Eyed, their first for Victory Records, had its moments (including some where The Police influences manifest itself), but was more or less viewed as a step back from their debut.
Now, seemingly everyone is excited for TJV's new record, and keyboardist/saxophonist Nick Dodson thinks so highly of Cinematographic that in a recent press release he considered it to be "leaps-and-bounds better" than Wide Eyed, "in terms of the musicianship, songwriting and melodies." This critic is inclined to agree.
After a couple of spins of the album, it's not too hard to realize that The Junior Varsity really is a cut above their contemporaries. Sure, they use power chords at-will, but the song arrangements are never dull, sometimes prog rock-ish, and would definitely give Guitar World transcribers long nights at a time, as guitarists Andy Wildrick and Sergio Coronado constantly riff and phrase their way through verses, choruses, breakdowns, all the way to the end of many songs (check out "Under The Radar," "Lifted," "The Greatest"). This doesn't always translate into memorable songs ("The Importance of Being Important"), but there are plenty of those on this album, and producer Mike Watts (Hopesfall, As Tall As Lions) no doubt had a hand in bringing out the best in TJV here.
On "I Went Blind," the song's intro and Chris Birch's powerhouse drumming recalls the Foo Fighters at first. Sunny, jittery (electric) guitar, acoustic guitar phrases and vibes quiet things down for the verses, and the chorus gets the multiple vocal treatment; its mid-level and high but not whiny pitches sound a bit like Dashboard Confessional. But again, no whiny emo here. "The Sky!" sports psychedelic flourishes, along with flashy and artful hard rock riffs.
At the start of "St. Louis," bass player/singer Asa Dawson's vocals instantly recall John Linnell (of They Might Be Giants), but soon enough, the quirky, jangly feel of the track evolves into what the band considers a Say Anything-meets-The Strokes rocker. Which is to say the track mixes slightly distorted guitars over a toe-tappin' rhythm section with several bursts of heavier riffs and short solos. Thus, it makes for a damn good power pop number.
Listening to "The Greatest" - not a Cat Power cover - makes you understand why the band has toured with the likes of Panic! At The Disco, as Dawson's voice climbs pretty high during the chorus. However, TJV's pure, raw hard rock instincts kick into high gear near the end as Dawson sings of Armageddon: "Don't worry about the signs/This world is coming to an end I think we all know". The song's furious, kickass closing riffs are headbanger-worthy, though its start-stop tempos may mess with your head, should you try.
The back-to-back-to-back tracks "Memory Made Easy," "Try To Define," and title track "Cinematographic" highlight and sum up everything TJV is about. "Memory Made Easy" is a lovely acoustic-based and dare I say Jimmy Page-influenced instrumental, complete with light keyboard work and cello. Stunning in its beauty and technically proficient in its execution, this is without a doubt my favorite song on the record. "Try To Define," with its pretty, ascending and descending guitar and piano lines in the verses and a punk-inspired chorus is another standout emo-pop song. And perhaps different than anything TJV has tried before is the swinging track "Cinematographic," a softer, jazz-edged tune featuring Dodson on saxophone. The fact that a band like The Junior Varsity can pull off tracks as varied as those three in the course of one album is quite an accomplishment.
Overall, Cinematographic and its rockin', mostly guitar-based (no offense to Dodson) work of art gives you the type of hope and excitement for this genre of rock that Hot Rod Circuit once did. Though it's not perfect, it's close (4 out of 5 stars) and very highly recommended.
Fore more info on the band, visit the Victory Records website and TJV's myspace page.
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