Jack's Mannequin
The Glass Passenger
Sire (2008)
A lot of artists resist fame. I've done interviews with bands for nearly five years now and have heard countless times from both nameless and recognizable acts that there were never any aspirations for a hit radio single or a gold album. For these people it seemed when something reached a point of popularity it lost authenticity. By acknowledging the idea of notoriety as an accident they were able to maintain a personal concept of credibility. The flip side to that is the "rock stars" running about proclaiming their song's importance to society at large. I've talked to these people too, and while I admire their confidence the pretensions surrounding the music tends to wear thin. The best songwriters, not my favorite songwriters, have something that exists outside of both these ideas. They create music that personally resonates by touching on universality. Andrew McMahon under his Jack's Mannequin moniker is writing tracks to tap into a larger audience. The songwriter, known best for his time as the front man of the emo-charged indie pop band Something Corporate, has created an interesting balance with his sophomore solo effort. The Glass Passenger is a record asking for an audience. It doesn't jam … Read more
Makeout Party
Lengths and Limits
Make Music Collective (2008)
I'll admit it; I have a few musical guilty pleasures. I have a few albums that I'm embarrassed to own … Read more
Various Artists
Our Roots Our Pride
Still Life/Youth Crew (2008)
This is a piece of history, as the name of the album might suggest. Our Roots Our Pride: History of … Read more
Aussitôt Mort
Montuenga
Level Plane (2008)
I've been waiting to hear Aussitôt Mort's first full-length since this spring. Montuenga's release kept getting pushed back, but at … Read more
