Jughead - Jughead

Year of Release: 2002
Label: InsideOut/Ear Candy
Catalog Number: SPV 085-65052/ECRCD 007
Format: CD
Total Time: 43:41:00

This review is excerpted from Clayton's October 5, 2003 The Prog Life column found here -ed.

When proggers like Derek Sherinian, Ty Tabor, Matt Bisonnette, and Gregg Bisonnette get together to record an album, the last thing you expect is power pop, but that's what you get with Jughead. Imagine The Beatles crossed with Stone Temple Pilots. Like The Beatles, you can expect great songwriting with strong vocal harmonies throughout, and like Stone Temple Pilots, you can expect smokin' guitar riffs, upbeat songs, and a very modern sound. Things do slow down on a couple of tracks, such as on the melodic and Beatle-ish "Waiting On The Son," but for the most part, this album cranks right along.

Tracks like "Yesterday I Found Myself" reveal Tabor's King's X background, but, again, it's King's X interpreted by a modern group like Stone Temple Pilots. "I Just Wanna Be Like You" is in the considerably competent style of the Foo Fighters, one of the best power-pop groups out there. "Paging Willie Mays," on the other hand, sounds like George Harrison gone metal. As you can expect with Tybor behind the frets, the guitar solos are terrific (although short, as dictated by the power-pop style).

I don't know whether the boys did this album just for fun or to try and capture a new audience. Frankly, I don't care. This is an album for when you're all progged out, and just want a set of good songs.

Tracklisting:
Halfway Home To Elvis (3:14) / C'mon (4:17) / Snow In Tahiti (2:50) / Promise (3:58) / Bullet Train (3:56) / Waiting On The Son (4:03) / Yesterday I Found Myself (5:26) / Be Like You (3:17) / Flowers (2:58) / Shame On The Butterfly (3:34) / Paging Willie Mays (8:08)

Musicians:
Ty Tabor - guitars, vocals
Matt Bissonette - bass, vocals
Greg Bissonette - drums, vocals
Derek Sherinian - rhythm guitars, keyboards

Discography:
Jughead (2002)

Genre: Rock

Origin US

Added: October 5th 2003
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Hits: 2703
Language: english