 |
|
||||||||||
 Origivation Magazine Ike's prolific lead guitarist Cliff Hillis produced this phenomenal powerpop opus. Power This is that rare good-time record that delivers without being pushy or obnoxious. Earnest melodies and lyrics to match are just the icing on first-rate song after first-rate song. The band, individually and as a whole, has managed to hang on to that so-often abandoned sense of when enough is enough, the product of which is fourteen songs with just the right amount of everything. The Jellybricks also have that most uncommon of qualities - two singers with equally excellent and very different voices, making for a lively record. Power This is Powerpop done right. 4.5 stars. Bucketfull of Brains The favorite sons of Central Pennsylvania are back with another solid effort in Power This. Nuthin fancy here, simply song after song (14 of ‘em, to be exact) of fine power pop featuring the band’s stock in trade of strong lead and harmony vocals. Songs like “Higher Than” and “Takes Too Long” should certainly be on the radio with their simple but effective choruses. “Simple Me” and “All Fired Up” offer some sly ‘70s rock moves, “Easy For You” is a nice slice of Americana, and “Breaking Down” boasts some bluesy licks. If you’re a fan of traditional power pop then this disc, produced by genre-icon Cliff Hillis, should do quite nicely. Fly Magazine It's almost inconceivable that a band could stuff as many hooks into a single song - let alone a single album - as the Jellybricks consistently do, and this has never been more apparent than on the band's third full-length album, Power This, released by Kool Kat Records. The Jellybricks' two previous albums were so brilliantly written that the production jobs just didn't measure up. Raw energy is a staple in the band's live show, and finally, on Power This, no love is lost from stage to tape. The album is a flawless machine, fueled by multi-layered vocal melodies wrapped in luminous counter-melodies, harmonies, counter-harmonies and countermeloharmonelliesthat "ooh"and "aah"through every pitch in the 12-tone system, as well as dynamic guitars and rhythmic turnarounds that sucker-punch you when you're not paying attention. The instant gratification of "Can't Be Wrong" makes it a perfect album opener, as a punchy guitar riff and vocal lines that dip and rise and bend set listeners adrift on a power-pop odyssey across wave-like melodies in the ensuing musical seas. Ubiquitous metaphors, catchy rhyme schemes and syntax are wittily manipulated around vocal hooks throughout the entire album, particularly in track 9, "Co-star": "I'm just a co-star in your made-up show/Demoted to a reoccurring role/ Am I even in your listings? ... As the season ends I fade away to spin-off and I'm canceled in one day/Can you see me?/Am I even in this shot at all?/ You're the star attraction/I'm the headshot falling off your wall …" The rapidly budding production ingenuity of singer-songwriter mastermind Cliff Hillisat Target Studios only adds to the band's lucid display of songwriting panache. Sonically,there's a lot going on, and in the wrong production hands, the album could have easily become a weak, overly compressed, ultra-polished facsimile of The Jellybricks' buttery, natural sound. But Hilliskeeps his fingers planted firmly on the pulse of musicality, allowing Power This to twinkle, blur, wheeze, belch, cough or sneeze when need be. If you haven't had an opportunity to hear The Jellybricks, you've been severely missing out, if you've heard them and haven't seen their charismatic live show, you should be ashamed. They are one of the most riveting outfits out there, and Power This is so good it willknock you on your derriere. Every song is a potential hit; you'll be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. I couldn't, and still can't. Vibe-Rate.com The Jellybricks Power This 2004, Kool Kat Music "I've been waiting for you". So goes the opening line on the latest release from the Jellybricks, and it says it all. In a music market saturated with over-produced and equally over-exposed performers, a great hook and a catchy melody are easy to find. Finding something with more substance than style is a different story. For power pop music fans, the wait is finally over. With the release of Power This, the Jellybricks prove that really good, original pop music isn't dead, it's been hiding out in Harrisburg all this time. The disc kicks off with the radiofriendly, Can't Be Wrong with lyrics that in this reviewer's twisted mind could almost read like a Michael Jackson confessional. Scandalous innuendo aside, the tune is impossibly catchy and arguably one of the strongest on the CD. Then again, this disc is loaded with 'em. From the tight harmonies on Higher Than, to the dynamic guitar work on Black Cat and Takes Too Long to the irresistibly revved up crunch of Got Away (If you can sit still during that song, there is something wrong with you my friend). The lush quality of Breaking Down and the heartbreak of Well Enough add just enough emotion to the mix without making it sappy. The Jellybricks are the real deal and Power This is the proof. allmusic.com While The Jellybricks have always been considered a power-pop band, their first two discs didn't immediately recall classic Beatle-isms so much as they sounded like a lot of catchy, guitar-driven indie rock of the late ‘90s. That all changes on their much-delayed third disc, Power This, which--despite its title--is their most sugary “pop" album yet. Producer Cliff Hillis gives Power This the same treatment he's used on his own albums--the controlled bursts of chiming (but powerful) guitars and pounding drums are mixed up front, but so are the vocals, lending everything a very clean and bright mix. And while guitarist Bryce Connor's songs are gruff and rocky, the lion's share of tunes--sung by the band's main vocalist, the sweet-voiced Larry Kennedy--are smoother than anything the band has yet produced. Like before, some of it doesn't stick on the first listen, but it's generally because these songs are full of little tricks and turns--unusual turns of verse like in “Simple Me" or the gorgeous guitar solo on “Takes Too Long"--that unfold on repeat listens. Power This, unlike Soap Opera or Kinky Boot Beast, sounds firmly like the work of power-pop revivalists, and fans of the style should find much to love. *** Fufkin.com The band's latest release is on the Kool Kat label, and it is overflowing with power pop gems that draw favorable comparisons with the work of Matthew Sweet, the Connells, Cherry Twister and Guadalcanal Diary. My favorite tracks are "Simple Me," "Easy For You," Over Now" and "Well Enough," but there is something for every pop fan on this disc. Fourteen primo tracks make for a serious candidate for Top Ten 2004 honors. POPISM Radio Show—Serbia & Montenagro After their first two albums, my impressions about The Jellybricks were kinda divided in If they were a bit "jelly" before, these "bricks" are getting quite firm now . . . build yourself up! Fufkin.com The latest Jellybricks disc is reliable power pop. Indeed, the band lets you know where its loyalties lie right away, as "Can't Be Wrong" includes a guitar part that sounds related to the classic "Starry Eyes" by The Records. Critically, that part is just a part of this swell mid-tempo opener that is at turns jocular and muscular. Working with producer Cliff Hillis, the band certainly shares some qualities with Mr. Hillis but they also like to throw on just a bit of ornamentation (usually in the form of strong lead guitar parts) that would please fans of artists like The Tories and Jason Falkner. Or maybe Cheap Trick, at least in the case of the smoking "Higher Than", a tune infused with drama. Here, the ‘bricks show off all their talents to their best advantage, from the insistent lead guitar part to the urgent chorus, with a strong lead vocal and great backing vocals -- the harmonies are the only thing that leaven this track, which ranks up there with classic tracks from Material Issue and Dirty Looks. I think this band is best went it goes for the gusto, in part because drummer Tom Kristich can bring it. He really lifts "Bad Time", with his disciplined abandon. Even though I think that they are at their best when in full rock mode, they certainly have plenty of charm, as shown on songs like "Takes Too Long", which has a nice hangdog chorus and a Matthew Sweet-worthy middle eight. I also hear a little Matthew Sweet in the verses of "Over Now", a crisp jangle rocker. I'd probably snip a couple of tracks from the 14 on the disc, but otherwise, this is fine stuff. Twist & Shake magazine It's been five long years since The Jellybricks put out an album. But I'm pleased to report "Power This" has been worth the wait. Aside from being the band's strongest record to date, it also checks in as one of the strongest records of its ilk. We're talking power pop here, all crunchy guitars, soaring choruses and crafty arrangements. The title of the disc is totally appropriate, as the emphasis is on power. Governed by high energy frequencies, "Power This" offers nothing but rock sturdy songs that are smartly executed. The Jellybricks are a tight lot and their timing is always perfect. Sporting a full sound that matches the assurance of bands like Cheap Trick and Fountains of Wayne, these Pennsylvania based pop maestros throw plenty of hard-hitting punches into tracks like "Can't Be Wrong," "It's Over," "Fired Up" and "Black Cat." Traditional songwriting values, coupled with crystal clear vocals are other traits that allow The Jellybricks to rise above and beyond expectations. PA Musician Magazine In their third full-length, this Harrisburg quartet is clearly transcendent in terms of crafting imminently listenable, skillful pop music with muscle (check out "Higher Than" and "Black Cat"). The rhythmic variety, melodic hooks, and smooth vocal harmonies are welded to Tom Kristich's aggressive, cascading drums and the twin guitar work of lead vocalist Larry Kennedy and lead guitarist Bryce Connor. Bassist Garrick Chow provides intelligent, tasty low end (listen to his various takes on the chorus in "Takes Too Long"). More intricate than on the band's last, "Soapopera", the band's songwriting is super sharp, flawlessly transitioning between feels, instrumentation, and dynamics within a song without losing any momentum or cohesion. This is what it sounds like when a skillful, seasoned band hits on all eight cylinders and is accelerating. My only gripe is that the band sticks to its 14-song tradition, which I believe runs the risk of selling the last couple of songs short to the listener going straight through. Crystal clear, textured, self-assured and rocking…you've got to hear this one. NotLame.com It's been a long wait since their last disc, Soap Opera, frequented our new release area, but a hearty, passionate 'welcome back' to The Jellybricks! This happens so often now, when we say - 'it was well worth the wait'. And it is. Like "Soap Opera", the formula remains cool, flashy and loud chops that burst addictive melodies not unlike a power pop version of Elvis Costello with Matthew Sweet, lots of Sweet in this confection, in fact! Power This showcases The Jellybricks' ever-maturing songwriting skills and studio sensibilities. The songs here reflect the ensuing maturity that fives since their past one bring into the light and you'll be hard press to find more easily enjoyable power pop to digest because it's all filled with mesmerizing, hummable melodies, earthy jangle, relaxed, layered vocal harmonies and a adrenalized band vibe. Elegantly appointed back on the power pop scene, The Jellybricks have delivered on past promise and delivered a humdinger of an alluring and captivating third release with "Power This!" Shindig Magazine The Jellybricks have been around a while on the power pop scene; this is their third CD in an eight year existence. The experience of a lot of live gigs shows through on this CD. The songs sound like they’ve been honed on stage, rather than being studio creations. All four of the band are involved in the song writing, and this is a consistent band effort. The two guitar / vocalists, Larry Kennedy and Bryce Connor, vary their approach so that the sound is never one-dimensional. I’m not sure who plays the jangly acoustic/electric rhythm parts and who does the soaring electric leads, but they are is particularly effective on songs like ‘Can’t Be Wrong’ and ‘Easy For You’. In addition the lyrics are not the usual “moon in june” stuff. Whilst they are not up there with great poetry, songs like ‘All Fired Up’ and ‘Over Now’ offer literate, left – field approaches to the usual boy-girl scenarios. Sometimes it doesn’t do songs justice to quote favourite lines, (“She throws her arms around my empty shell of nothing”) you have to hear the whole thing. Essentially this is a “grower”; good on first hearing, but catchier with every play. It is misleading to highlight individual songs, because they are consistently decent. Give them a chance.back to the top Swiss Records Für gewisse Bands scheint es so einfach zu sein, tolle Popsongs zu schreiben. Die Jellybricks aus Harrisburg haben diese Gabe. Die 14 Songs auf ihrem dritten Album «Power this» klingen frisch, unverbraucht und hochgradig eingängig. Als hätte das Quartett um Sänger und Gitarrist Larry Kennedy sie einfach so aus dem Ärmel geschüttelt. «Power this» fängt mit «Can’t be wrong» an, das nach dem Intro direkt in einen grandiosen Chorus übergeht und sich erst dann dem Vers zuwendet. Matthew Sweet hätte das nicht besser hingekriegt. Es geht so weiter. Die Jellybricks gleiten von einem tollen Song zum anderen. Manchmal wird es etwas rockiger, dann drosselt die Band das Tempo wieder. Die Melodien bleiben aber wohlig und gut ins Ohr gehend. «Power this» endet mit dem langsam anschwellenden fast besinnlichen «Well enough»: Die 14 Songs sind mehr als bloss das!!! |
