Record Reviews

6.3

Philadelphia Grand Jury
Hope Is For Hopers

It feels like I haven't been able to open my reliable Hotmail account over the past twelve months without being hit with a 'life update' from Philadelphia Grand Jury HQ regarding a new song and/or what they just had for breakfast. Their crack PR team (or PR team on crack?) seem to have been pulling 22-hour shifts over the past year to ensure that people in the 'media' would be tricked into thinking they were the best thing since The Small Faces. To be honest, by the time their debut LP was finally released, I was kinda sick of the self-generated hype.

It's a shame that the most important aspect of the Silly Jays - their music - seems to have been lost somewhere under this saturation marketing plan. They are a lot better than the majority of band's that select 'Sydney indie rock' as their iTunes genre, a fact mostly attributable to their high level of consistency. There isn't a single track on this album which isn't incredibly catchy and laced with a lovely blend of nerdy theatrics and highly quotable lyrics.

The subject matter on Hope Is For Hopers touches on all of life's pleasures - girls (When Your Boyfriend Comes Back To Town), partying (I Don't Want To Party), gambling (Going To The Casino) and murdering (I'm Going To Kill You). Occasionally the group overdo it, with a handful of moments bordering on being the unofficial anthems of Jarlsberg Town (aka cheesier than a pack of nacho cheese Doritos dipped in cheese sauce). There is also the distracting element of deja vu throughout this record and some of the songs sound a little too instantly familiar, which has the unfortunate repercussion of disconnecting the band from the music.

But the best thing about the Philly Cream Jewellerys is that they don't pretend to be a band they're not. They make party songs. They will make you tap your foot. They will make you sing along on the train and get arrested under the Insanity Law Of 2006. They have made the perfect song for you to play in the taxi when you are heading to the casino. You probably won't boast to your friends that you like them (hello Phantom Planet, Blink 182) but this record, an accurate snapshot of the band's energetic style, is comfortable, warm and cosy. Like a Snuggie. Except not (quite) as lame.

Words by Jonny

October 2, 2009 @ 07:52