Milkshake Jones
"Gala Days" CD
Paisley Pop
Genre: power pop, pop/rock
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Dec 22, 2008 |
Sterling "Remember How To Smile," with its lazy guitar strums and
pretty, Go-Betweens-esque chorus, almost single-handedly makes
Gala
Days worthwhile. Sadly, the rest of the record doesn't match its
glorious peak, instead turning out a little inconsistent.
Inspired by
seventies power-pop and AM radio,
the members of Milkshake Jones outfit
their songs with
cheery melodies and juicy guitar chords. On "(Where You Goin')
Suzanne" and "The Veil," they effortlessly spins off solid, hook-fuelled
tunes. They also adds a distinct country tinge to the proceedings on
"Gala Days" and "Never Sleep Again." For the most part, this formula
turns out well - listeners shouldn't be surprised to find themselves
humming along to these songs in the car. However, for all its better moments,
some of Gala Days' songs are pretty bland, best suited for background
ambiance in lieu of your full attention. This becomes especially
noticeable in the disc's second half, which features several
by-the-numbers pop tracks ("Counting Heads," "Earthquake Heart,"
"All I Want is Everything.") As a result, Gala Days sustains your
attention from track one to track six, but ends up dropping off after
that. Still, when they're on
their game, Milkshake Jones crafts a mean pop
song - and serious power pop fans will want to take heed.
milkshake jones' myspace
75%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 10 tracks, distributed by
the
label,
released 2007] |