Incredible album, band should be HUGE!
08/27/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bodyjar first came to my attention through playing "Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3" with my kids. No joke.For those of you who haven't played it, the game has a soundtrack of a dozen or so different songs, and one of them stuck out as one of the most killer songs I'd ever heard. It took some research, but I eventually found out that the song was "Not the Same" and the band was Bodyjar. That was a lucky day for me - I discovered a band that quickly became a favorite of mine, and one that puts all the mega-popular radio-airplay MTV-TRL-whatever "punk" bands to shame.In some ways, it's insulting to their talent to call them a punk band, although they definitely are in the same genre as contemporaries like Blink-182, Sum 41, Green Day, etc. But they are so much more than their contemporaries.Bodyjar writes melodic, solid, rocking, up-tempo tunes that become instantly familiar and make you want to sing along. This is definitely high-energy music but at the same time very musical and melodic. The lyrics avoid cliches and the corny humor that ruin so many similar bands' works. What are the songs about? Life, love, loss... everything. They don't club you over the head with some preachy message, nor do they sink to the banalities of so many other bands that have made it bigger with less talent. They give you a seed of a thought that may or may not take root - if it doesn't, you can always just enjoy the music.The vocals on this album (and the other Bodyjar albums I've heard) are fantastic: the lead vocalist has a voice I would kill for, and the background vocals are strong and harmonious. The production on the album is excellent (wish I could mix as well as whoever engineered this). The arrangements are full with diverse parts between the guitars and interesting musical ideas. All the players are great and shine in their own ways. There's a lot of intricacies between the parts that show a level of musical craftsmanship far above other punk bands. This is quite polished punk, but it shines all the brighter for it.Still not convinced? Listen to some tracks, either here or at the band's website. These guys should be HUGE, given the bands that actually are big these days."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1