Friday, January 14, 2011

Everything Under the Sun

I feel like all I ever do is write about The Decemberists or Ben Folds. So here's a post about Jukebox the Ghost.

This little three piece band from Philly has run around in the same circles with groups I already enjoy. Like how about the fact they toured with Ben Folds in 2009. (I know I can't go a paragraph with out talking about him). They also toured the U.S. with a Michigan Band I quite enjoy called Tally Hall. So I'm surprised I hadn't heard of them before this fall. However they released their second album Everything Under the Sun this September and I've heard tons of them on my Indie Radio station since then.

Now honestly I was acquainted with this group because they did a benefit concert in Louisville for this radio station I quite enjoy. Every single day I would hear, "December 18th at Headliners Bobby Bare Jr and Jukebox the Ghost." It was something that involved money and food going to a local food bank. I probably should have gone to that show because shortly after the show happened I picked up this album.

Everything Under the Sun is probably one of the funnest albums I've listened to. Maybe I've gotten too bogged down in music with meaning lately. But even their meaningful songs lack the heaviness that songs with purpose seem to have. The first single Empire had me at the bouncy sixties throw back chorus. Secondly the second single Schizophrenia not only is one of my favorite album openers of all time but might be one of my favorite piano parts in contemporary music. But don't think that only the singles are worth your time, this album is one of those you want actually purchase as a whole. Summer Sun is a sweet ballad that catches me with the heart referencing lyrics and rhythmic ba-dump heart beat mimicking sounds. Carrying and The Popular Thing really seal the second half of the album. Until you get to these songs I was a bit worried it might be a top heavy album. But these songs really carry a lot of the back half of the albums weight. I love The Popular Thing in particular because of how 60's pop throw back it is. I hear a lot of those old  Motown sounds in this album. It's quite a special album and I highly recommend it to everyone.

In short. This album rocks. They're currently touring with HelloGoodbye and if you have a chance to go see them do so. I, unfortunately, will not be able to but please try to find them somewhere near you. You won't be sorry to hear this trio live.

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