Jack's mannequin - everything in transit
So my first taste of Jack's Mannequin happened quite awhile ago when I heard "Kill the Messenger" on a Drive-Thru Records compilation. Since first hearing the track and checking the JM website constantly to see when a full album would drop, I had heard enough tracks to know this cd would blow me away...and it did. If you want to know what two raccoons fucking in a blender sounds like, this is NOT the album for you (instead please pick up Maria Carey's "Mimi"). Andrew McMahon, aka Jack's Mannequin, really has some quality lyrics that just put a little tingle in that special place below your belt. From the minute you hear "The Mixed Tape", the first release off the album, you can tell this is going to be a little something different than just another Something Corporate album. Also, with Tommy Lee playing drums on most of the tracks and some Sgt. Pepper-ish horns tossed in occasionally for flavor, there is an added feel of something big happening here.
However after listening to this album numerous times now, I am left with the following questions: Do I need to be brain-dead to miss the irony involved in the track "I'm Ready" when during a spoken word portion Andrew says "My life has become a boring pop song and everyone's singing along"? How stoned was Andrew when he wrote the song "Dark Blue"? How did I get this rash? Does Tommy Lee even sing any vocals on "I Need You" from Tommyland? Why was there only one Smurfs/Snorks crossover episode? Perhaps I will never have answers to these questions and maybe Tommyland has more information about Andrew singing on his album online or my shit could turn purple and smell like orange sherbet, but either way this album is solid vocally, lyrically, and musically. As an added bonus with this cd, you can even play the "How Many Times can Andrew Make a Pot Reference" game. Kudos to Andrew for putting out a kick ass album of "Konstantine" quality.
Totally Tasteless Rating: 5 out of 5 Evil Monkeys
Click the album art to link to the Jack's Mannequin site and buy the album!