"Hold It In" Jukebox the Ghost

Welcome to the newly redesigned ThaBombShelter, all fresh and clean for the new year. If any of you read my attempt at NaNoWriMo (Pat), you'll recognize the design from that blog. I really liked the cleanliness and simplicity of the black and white, so there you have it.

Anyway, let's get on with our first review of the year. I bring you, Jukebox the Ghost. I discovered this band very late in the year, after I had already posted my best albums, which is a shame, because the more I listen to "Live and Let Ghosts" the better and better it gets. They have a youthful energy, a popping and bouncing in their sound that's like a barely contained chaos at times, but it's got piano and guitars and fun and excitement. I could have written about any number of the tracks on here, but I've decided on "Hold It In" for no real reason in particular. It's a great song among great songs, and let me tell you why.

I read somewhere when I first started listening to Jukebox the Ghost, that they do piano rock right. And I absolutely agree with that. With the handclaps and the pounding piano, it's pop music to the max, without that saccharine Jonas Brothers bullshit. There's a breathless line that has a great syncopation, not breathless in the airy, "ohmygosh" voice, but rather, breathless like the end of a long trombone solo. The sound is youthful, fun, and fresh. It sounds true without being emo or overbearing. There's a sincerity in the vibe of the song, in the vocals and the piano and even in the handclaps.

This album may get an asterisk on the 09 Best Of list here at ThaBombShelter. It's just incredible.

"Hold It In" Jukebox the Ghost

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