photo by Lindsay Moller Productions; photo courtesy of BJF Media
Album Review of Phil Jamieson: Somebody Else (Goldon Robot Records)
Sometimes I know from the beginning of the very first song that I am going to review an album. Even if the rest of the album was weak, I needed to tell you about the first song. Well, in the case of former Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson‘s Somebody Else, the opening number (the title track) was such a song, while the rest of the album is most certainly not weak, containing several other soon-to-be-favorites. In fact, it’s a cool, chaotic, moderate-paced, buzzy, mainstream-ish, classic alt-rock album with distorted guitar hooks and pop songwriting sensibilities.
image courtesy of BJF Media
“White Wedding”-era Billy Idol, Blondie, Duran Duran, The Cure – Phil Jamieson’s Somebody Else doesn’t sound like any of these bands. In fact, each of those artists I mentioned is farther from Phil’s sound than the one before. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to find Phil sharing a bill or a radio playlist with any of them. By the same token, I’d add bands like Green Day and Heart to that playlist, as well, to connect with the crisper side of the pop-friendly tunefulness in Phil’s sound. In the end, Somebody Else is simply an album of well-conceived rock songs, varying in style around an identifiable center, from the lead singer of a popular Australian rock band whose biggest hits were mostly two decades ago. That is to say, with Phil’s rock ‘n roll pedigree, it’s no great surprise that this is a good record.
Album-opening title track “Somebody Else” begins with a guitar buzz and a neatly-voiced call to arms, drawing the listener in before turning to into a classic, funky alt-rock number. Well-phrased vocals, a wall of sound that’s at-times static, some distant drums tapping, twangy guitars, and an insistent, driving vocal that holds everything together. The songwriting somehow corrals a seemingly disparate array of sounds into an engaging, catchy, memorable tsunami of sound and melody. Simply put, this song is oh, so very cool! By itself, worth the price of admission.
photo by Ian Laidlaw; photo courtesy of BJF Media
But it doesn’t end there. The talented af Jamieson has many more tricks up his sleeve. “Trouble,” next, begins with his anguished, slow-building vocals leading to a distorted guitar-filled chorus. Then the song pauses, starts slow again, and builds toward the chorus. At this point, the album may remind you of Ryan and Pony’s Moshi Moshi, which I reviewed here, but on acid.
These songs all sound so familiar, and yet very original. “Lights On” sports a lot of distortion and buzz, but it also goes on these almost pop-soul runs that I swear I’ve heard somewhere before, but I can’t quite place from whom. It’s just a really wicked cool vibe with a defiantly youthful rock energy.
“Rebecca” could be a ’90s pop-rock hit. Low-fi tinny guitar strums keep time for Phil’s voice, which is the song’s real star. Meanwhile, the lyrics are so well-written that, after you’ve gotten past digging the sound and start digging into to the verses, you’ll enjoy the song on a higher level. For reference, this is the sort of song you might expect from an edgier Howard Jones.
photo by Ian Laidlaw; photo courtesy of BJF Media
“Kapow!” is light and airy yet rebellious, sounding a bit like a U2 song but cheerful, quite probably thanks to the playful guitar line with just a smidgeon of punk rock distortion.
“YCBM” follows, opening with a haunting, Addams Family-ish tone, then develops into a statically ethereal, somewhat psychedelic number. (The chorus reveals the cryptic song title in the lyric “you could me mine.”)
“Rubberband” is jangly singer-songwriter fare, with an electronic buzz accompanying Phil’s sometimes cracking, hoarse vocal delivery.
Phil goes full-on haunting again to close the collection. “Little Pickle” features anguished vocals supported by a floatingly atmospheric, spacy soundbed.
photo by Darren Chan; photo courtesy of BJF Media
And that’s it. Eight songs. One of the coolest albums you’ll hear this year. And, by that I don’t just mean that I enjoy the album. No, it seems like an album that’s too cool for you. An album so cool it’d wear sunglasses at night. And yet you’re being allowed to listen to it. But the music is so impressive and the songs are so memorable, you’ll forgive the album for its hubris.
Looking Ahead
If you scroll down to the “Tour Dates” section of Phil’s web page, you’ll see that he’ll be touring extensively throughout Australia early next year, starting on Thursday, January 11th in Kings Beach and concluding on Sunday, February 11th in Longley. Catch him if you can.
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