Jonezetta - "Sick In the Teeth" (2008)

Jonezetta quickly became one of my favorite bands in early 2006 when I checked out their four song demo EP after hearing they had signed to Tooth and Nail Records. The songs were incredibly catchy dance rock that somewhat resembled what the Killers and The Bravery were doing but also had a lot more edge. I saw them live and they blew me away and I eagerly anticipated their debut album Popularity. When it finally came out, it spent weeks on repeat in my CD player and I still go back to it often. Needless to say I was stoked to hear that they had a new record coming this fall. After hearing the first song they put on their Myspace, "Paint and Picture," I was a little confused as to where the old Jonezetta had gone. The song wasn't bad by any means, just not as entergetic as before and perhaps less poppy. Of course I still went out and got their sophomore record Cruel To Be Young the day it came out and though it took me a few listens to grow accustomed to their new sound, it has become one of my new favorites as well. The only song from Cruel To Be Young that would even fit on Popularity is "Busy Body," a danceworthy three minute pop gem. Jonezetta still bring the rock on this record but it's far more subtle this time around. There are a couple songs that are even based around the organ if you can believe that. Today's song is a standout to me because of it's quirkiness. "Sick In the Teeth" has an interesting guitar line that somewhat reminds me of Jonezetta's Mississippi brethren Colour Revolt. The song is also helped by guest vocals from David Bazan of Pedro the Lion fame. If you've been a fan of Jonezetta, it may take you a bit to get into this record, but even if you've never heard them before, this is still one of the best indie records to come out this year.


Jonezetta - "Sick In the Teeth"

Straylight Run - "Try" (2008)

Straylight Run have come a long way since their inception five years ago. I won’t go into their history, as I’ve already detailed that in a previous post. As I stated in that post, I was less than impressed by Straylight Run’s second full length The Needles The Space. In retrospect, it wasn’t entirely awful but I knew they were capable of better. That record found the band trying very hard to be different and while they were, it didn’t always translate into good songs. Since the release of that album, the band have parted ways with their label Universal Republic and have parted ways amicably with pianist and sometimes singer Michelle De La Rosa, sister of front man John Nolan. So now the band are without a label and reduced to a three piece but instead of giving up they went into the studio and cranked out an excellent three song EP that gives me high hopes for their future. Un Mas Dos was produced and self released by the band in the form of a digital download as well as a 7” vinyl. I was lucky enough to snag the vinyl when I saw them open for Anberlin a couple a months ago. Even with just three people on stage, the band managed to sound huge and they put on an excellent show. Nolan seems to have remembered how to write hooks on this EP; all three songs are catchy. They are also heavier than anything on The Needles The Space, while still mixing in some great piano parts. The band also branches out with some cool keyboard sounds as well. The intro for “Ten Ton Shoes” is reminiscent of something from an old 8-bit Nintendo game, but it works. “Wait and Watch” is a powerful, though cynical song with it’s chorus “I’m gonna wait and watch the world die.” “Try” is the most lyrically hopeful and musically straightforward of the songs. The only downside of this EP is it’s length but there is no filler here and it makes me look even more forward to Straylight Run’s next full length.


Straylight Run - "Try"

Carolina Liar - "I'm Not Over" (2008)

Carolina Liar is a relatively new rock band that recently released their debut full length Coming To Terms. I have to admit that I don’t know much about the band themselves or their origins but I did learn that lead singer/songwriter Chad Wolf originally hails from South Carolina while the rest of the band members are from Sweden. I first heard of them after hearing today’s song in the Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz disaster What Happens In Vegas (or as I like to call it, What Crappens In Vegas.) Seriously, this song was the only bright spot of the movie and I had to wait til the very end to hear it. After finding out who it was I picked up the record and I must say that while there is nothing really spectacular about it, Coming To Terms is a pretty solid debut. There is plenty of pop sensibility to go around as many of these songs seem ready for the radio, which isn’t entirely a bad thing, but in some cases makes the songs forgettable. Among the standouts are the album’s second single “Show Me What I’m Looking For” as well as “Last Night,” which is reminiscent of The Killers circa Hot Fuss. “I’m Not Over” is the lead off track and easily the best song with it’s catchy chorus and memorable synth line. I have always been someone who will buy a whole album rather than pick and choose single songs from iTunes, but if you were only going to get one from Carolina Liar I would go with this.


Carolina Liar - "I'm Not Over"

Jack's Mannequin - "Annie Use Your Telescope" (2008)

By now you may already be familiar with the story of Jack’s Mannequin. It started as the solo side project of Andrew McMahon, front man of Something Corporate. It has since morphed into a more of a full band as well as more of a full time gig as Jack’s Mannequin has now released their sophomore album The Glass Passenger. You may have also heard about McMahon’s bout with leukemia, which he was diagnosed with right after finishing Jack’s 2005 debut Everything In Transit. He is now in remission and healthy but I think it will be a long time before people stop equating Jack’s Mannequin and Andrew McMahon with cancer. There is no doubt that his experience with the disease the past three years has influenced his music, however McMahon chooses not to dwell on it and allows the songs on The Glass Passenger to encompass broader themes. McMahon also takes bigger musical leaps on this record. Everything In Transit was a great album, but there was little that would distinguish it from a Something Corporate record. I hate to use the word “mature” because it seems overly used when talking about how an artist has changed from one album to the next but I will say that The Glass Passenger is a more grown up record and perhaps more fully realized with more lush instrumentation and excellent production value. McMahon’s piano prowess is still evident on this record but he allows it to be subdued and let the guitar take the lead on songs like “American Love” and the excellent “Bloodshot.” Today’s song is one of the slower ones with a great piano and string melody that holds it all together. The Glass Passenger shows McMahon is one of the best songwriters in alternative music today and I think this album will help be remembered as more than “that guy from Something Corporate that had cancer.” On the album opener “Crashin” McMahon is open about his fear of rejection by fans as he sings “Even if your voice comes back again, maybe there’ll be no one listening.” I think it’s safe to say he can put those fears to rest.


Jack's Mannequin - "Annie Use Your Telescope"

The Format - "Dog Problems" (2006)

The Format was a great indie rock duo from Arizona that I loved ever since I heard their song “The First Single” back in 2003. Their debut album Interventions and Lullabies was filled with clever rock tunes that had lots of acoustic guitar, just enough distortion and plenty of hooks to go around. After a long ordeal with their record label, The Format was finally able to self-release their sophomore album Dog Problems in the summer of 2006. I have to admit that at first I was apprehensive about this record. I mean I liked it, but it failed to grab me like the first album did. Dog Problems was much quirkier and employed a myriad of instruments from horns and strings to keyboards of all kinds. There were still a few tight pop songs with solid hooks such as “She Doesn’t Get It” and “The Compromise,” a lyrical stab at the record industry that had scorned the duo. I listened off and on and would sometimes go back to the album, but only to listen to a few songs. A few weeks ago I was on Facebook (as I am far too often now) and someone had posted a line from “Dog Problems” as their status update. I laughed and thought about how crazy the title track was and how it seemed to be quite a departure with it’s circus-like and somewhat Broadway inspired instrumentation. Not to mention the abundance of lyrics sung only in a way that front man Nate Ruess can pull off. I went back and listened to the song and realized how great it was. Then I listened to it again. And again. Then one more time for good measure. “Dog Problems” was on infinite repeat in my head for the better part of week. The tune is definitely infectious. This new found appreciation for the song led me to rediscover parts of the album that I had neglected such as the poppy “Dead End” and the excellent closer “If Work Permits” which starts slowly with acoustic guitar and builds to a rollicking punk inspired tune at the end. I then checked out The Format’s B-Sides and Rarities release which is filled with some great demos, covers and studio outtakes. I also picked up their DVD Live at the Mayan Theatre which was filmed in the summer of 2007. The band plays through Dog Problems in it’s entirety as well as some old favorites from Interventions and a new song. The show is quite unique in that they are backed by full horn and string sections to present the album as it was recorded. They also enlist the help of some of their friends such as the band Reuben’s Accomplice, some members of Steel Train and even Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World. The only thing that sucks about my new obsession with all things The Format is that they are no longer together. The band released a statement via their Myspace back in February announcing that they would not be making another record together. No specifics were given as to why. But now the members are on to other projects. Sam Means, who was the musical driving force is now collaborating with Michelle DeLaRosa formerly of Straylight Run on her new project, Destry. Nate Ruess has formed a new band called Fun, with Jack Antonoff of Steel Train and Andrew Dost of Anathallo. Their debut album should be out in the spring. I definitely look forward to checking out these new projects but at the same time I will miss The Format and I hope that maybe we haven’t heard the last of them.

P.S. As an added bonus since I’ve been slacking for so long, I also give you “Swans” which was a new song from the DVD. As far as I know, there is no studio recording of it.


The Format - "Dog Problems"


The Format - "Swans (live)"