Johnny Society, Life Behind the 21st Century Wall
(Messenger Records, 2003)
Messenger Records
is just a little company but, man, do they have some talent on their roster!
Johnny Society's last CD, Clairvoyance, came on like a great unreleased
John Lennon album. This time, the little band that could has turned all those
influences and echoes into a sparkling journey through the history of pop
as seen by three 21st century New Yorkers. This Life glistens with
the sheen of forty years of music, but all performed with their own undeniable
style.
There are four members in Johnny Society. Brian Geltner plays drums, Gwen
Snyder is the bassist, Brion Snyder mans the keyboards, and they all sing.
Main songwriter, lead singer and guitarist Kenny Siegal is the front man.
He is "hooked on rock's past" according to the press sheet that
accompanied this preview disc, and the discerning listener will pick up references
to any number of 60s and 70s tunes. The Kinks, the Beatles, Queen, Bowie and
more are all sound-checked, and yet it all maintains a personal vision and
approach that belies the influences.
The rhythm section is tight and inventive, each member playing at least one
instrument in addition to his/her main axe. The vocals are rich and full,
and creative. Although there are influences galore, Johnny Society don't really
sound like anyone else. It's more the way they attack the songs which each
come in under (or just slightly over) 4 minutes. That's right! It's a CD of
three minute pop songs, like we used to get in the 60s and 70s, before instrumental
virtuosity (and the excess-numbing influence of drugs and egos) took over.
The best Sixties bands used to say it all in three minutes and then get off
the stage! Johnny Society does the same thing.
Life Behind the 21st Century Wall begins with "Charity,"
a raucous, almost Deep Purple sounding tune. They switch to a nearly country
sound for "Trust," then some blues in "Popular Man," but
it isn't the blues...it just sounds a bit bluesy, and then it echoes
some T Rex. You see what I mean; this band is all over the map, and yet there's
a solid vision behind it all. A unifying sound...which is the sound of four
musicians who are sharing this vision completely. Is that the banjo? Add some
caterwauling vocals and a shuffling beat and you've got "Get Off My Farm."
There are even some horns! "Nameless" kicks off with power chords,
and the vocals match: "Kick me if you mean it / kiss me if you could
stomach it..." These aren't your everyday lyrics either! Yet the pop
sensibilities fit flawlessly behind the writing. The tunes are catchy and
they make the listener sort through years of memories to say "Who the
heck does that sound like?"
Well...they sound like everybody, and nobody...and when you come right down
to it they sound just like Johnny Society. And what in the world is the matter
with that? Especially on this side of the 21st Century Wall!
