Poolsville
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Alternative rock
Status:
Most recent release, Slop Pop (1998)
See also:
Poolsville's site
Comparisons:
The Connells, Fountains of Wayne, Weezer, Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Sentridoh, Folk Implosion, etc), Matt Keating, Matthew Sweet
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Poolsville is a band located in NYC. the press info states their music is a blend of pop punk and energetic fun. actually that's not that far off. the group definitely lacks in polish, but what they lack they make up in energy and fun. you get a feeling through the CD that they actually enjoy themselves when they were writing the songs and playing them.
stylistically they reminds me of a college garage bands like The Connells—a group that were fun for their time but ultimately never had staying power (are they still around anymore?) in my collection. did this band meet at a college frat party? possibly. but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. after all who didn't go to at least one college frat parties when they were in college? certain frat elements do sneak through (the song "Piece of Me"—not to be confused with Jewel's song "Pieces of You"—uses lines like "she's my baby...she's got gashed lipstick and glitter on her eyes....she's bubbilicious and she likes to sixty nine all the time...") that sounds juvenile but you seem to want to forgive them because the music makes you want to bop around a little bit.
other sounds and influences that i can tell include a bit of ska ("Piece of Me" has a certain ska rhythm) while other songs have a certain generic college rock sound (Fountains of Wayne, Weezer, etc) along with a big of the ubiquitous lo-fi sounds of Lou Barlow and his multitude of projects (Sebadoh, Sentridoh, Folk Implosion, etc), and the intelligent guitar rock of Matt Keating and/or Matthew Sweet.
all in all, this probably sounds like a great blend of influences and sounds. add some fun and energy, and i probably would run out and get the ep if i didn't already have it. but the songs lack focus, and don't stick in the mind. slightly clever lyrics like "walking in your sleep, too old to be cool, too young to be deep, a fine young cannibal" (from "Big Bad Girl" the first track) sound great—especially sung in a sarcastic falsetto parodying Roland's voice from the Fine Young Cannibals, but then you get to the chorus "she's up, she's down, she's in, she's out, she's a BIG BAD GIRL..." ugh.
"Movie=Hat" had promise with the Pixies-esque rhythm guitar intro. it doesn't quite fulfill on the promise, but holds itself together by it's catchy hook. "Chemical Friend" has a slight old school blue sound that sounds totally incongruent with the singing and songwriting, while "Supermarket Victim" is actually a fun song, a rollicking sing along with "who ooh ooh ooh" in it. i can see this being a great live songs.
speaking of supermarkets, allow me to make a bad analogy. i went to the store the other day and was suckered into buying four frozen dinners. they were having a twofer (buy two for the price of one). i am eating one now. a beef stew sort of thing with potatoes. kinda bland, but it fulfills its purpose. they were cheap, low in calories (for those who are watching their girlish figures) and can stop the hunger, though not for very long, after all they are kinda skimpy in the portions.
Poolsville is sort of like that i guess. every once in awhile you want something fast and inexpensive. something that will hold you off until you get a real meal. i mean i wouldn't necessarily rave about my beef stew (the potatoes were kinda dry and the beef was, well i just hope i don't get mad cow disease from eating it, it wouldn't really be worth it). but hey they are convenient. you stick poolsville in the CD player and they are enjoyable for what it's worth. not necessarily fresh but they are sufficient for the time being. maybe their next CD will be a step up from this one, their first outing. maybe it won't be freezer burned. i'll look forward to it, because they showed some promise. (iflin@speakeasy.net)
Recommended first album:
Slop Pop
Recordings:
Slop Pop
Slop Pop
Release info:
1998—Popsburg Records—PB-PV01
Availability:
Unknown
Ecto priority:
Recommended for alternative rock fans
Group members:
Joey Fortuna—lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitars
Mike Rinzel—lead and backing vocals, lead guitars, percussion
Adam Chasan—drums
Brian Kannry—bass guitar
Guest artists:
Jimi Zhivago—hammond organ, slide guitar, backing vocal
Oliver Strauss—percussion
Produced by:
Jimi Zhivago
Comments:
See General Comments above
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