JACK'S MANNEQUIN

"EVERYTHING IN TRANSIT"

Review Date: 08/15/05

Rating: 10/10

Rewiewed By: suj

THE REVIEW:
I've always enjoyed the musical barrage of Something Corporate and when news came of an Andrew McMahon solo side-project I was deeply intrigued. His efforts in Jack’s Mannequin bring forth a feeling of knowing that this is right, that the music spinning out of the speakers has meaning to its mayhem. And in the simplest terms McMahon shows that he can do something completely different without interfering with his musical creativity in Something Corporate.

The album begins with, "Holiday From Real", which itself opens with sounds of a nearby beach, then suddenly the bass line slides on in like a ninja in the guise of darkness as Andrew's enchanting voice accompanies the flow. It’s a catchy song with clapping and swirling beats for one to boogie on down to like Cap'n Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters. Then you have "The Mixed Tape", which is the albums first single. It opens with a hazy riff and eventually erupts into an all-out kick to the ears and as you try to compose yourself you realize that you are now standing in the middle of a joyous rock song. The lyrics paint a beautiful picture of unique metaphors with the music being smooth in its time and sly in its changes of tempo.

My favorite track from the albums initial listen is "I'm Ready", as it opens with the spoken words, 'And today was a day just like every other'. The song perfectly blends the likes of Beck and Ben Folds. And in the song there is a nice bridge spit forth in spoken word form with singing laced over it, and its kicker finishes with the words 'And life had become a boring pop song and everyone is singing along', which holds bearing as everyone in the world seems to living and dying for the latest trends. Then we have "Dark Blue" which is poetic and beautiful personified and I hope to play this song someday from a boom box directed towards the bedroom window of girl whom may or not be Natalie Portman.

By tapping into the essence of the Beach Boys like John Stamos did in the early 90s we have the track "Ms. Delaney" which is just soothing in its 'Ooh wee oohs'. "Rescued", is your piano ballad, but unlike your typical piano ballad this song has a xylophone thrown into the mix that just makes things that more awesome. To close things out you have "MFEO", which is actually two songs put together into one amazing song. The first part, Made For Each Other, opens in a Zombies' "This Will Be Our Year" kind of way, until it picks up into a wonderful conglomerate of clapping, trumpets and a whole gathering of instruments that showcase a good time to had for both your ears and your feet. It’s a song that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to dance like Zack Morris and Jessie Spano did in the “Dancing to the Max" episode of Saved by the Bell. That song then shifts into its second part, "You Can Breathe", which is a lot slower but still follows suit in the rocking department. The album comes to an end with Andrew talking which then lends itself to the sounds of beach from afar.

Like I said in this reviews opening, the album just feels right. There is heart behind it, there is creativity behind it. And with Andrew's recent diagnosis it makes this album mean that much more. It’s an album of hope, beauty, and the calling to face life head on and never turning back.