JD and the Critics
Me and My New Ride
Five stars
THE debut album from Canadian rock band JD and the Critics is a contemporary collection of toe-tapping tunes that promises something for everyone.
Multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Joseph D’Angelo has created an exciting mix of rock-meets-country-meets-power pop.
Opening track, Did You See That Girl, moves along on a propulsive pop-infused bassline, topped with vocals reminiscent of a young Elvis Costello.
By contrast, Cold Rainy Night is a full-on retro-country-rock track with some great honky-tonk piano and traditional-style country loops. D’Angelo showcases his impressive vocal range on this one and his skills as a verbal gymnast throughout all 12 songs.
The title track, Me and My New Ride, has a catchy chorus and some nice electro-pop flourishes that is bound to have listeners reaching for the repeat button - it’s also the first official video to be released from the album.
After listening to the album for the second time, it is impossible to pick out just one song that captures the tone and mood of this debut release. The overall appeal is global and you could spend a day picking out the subtle nods to bands and musicians past and present that have clearly influenced D’Angelo’s style of music making.
While the sound of the album is wide and varied, it’s the lyrics that really strike a chord. Simple in their storytelling they resonate so easily and are clearly written from the heart. D’Angelo does this best on, I Wake Up, which also has a nostalgic Beatles-esque feel to it.
There are some cracking lyrics peppered throughout the album, notably on the opening of, Who Am I Without You, which instantly makes you sit up and listen a bit more intently, “Like an old paperback novel I’m tattered and torn...I’m like an aspiring actress forced to do porn…I’m wasted up…and wasting away...” Beautifully descriptive and captivating in its narrative.
This album really does deliver and, The Reason Why, with its blend of looping lyrics and pop ballad sound must surely guarantee its place at the top of any playlist.
This is a fine debut release from one of Canada’s most articulate and inventive musicians.
Me and My New Ride by JD and the Critics is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and retail outlets.
For more information, visit the JD and the Critics website HERE.
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