Popularity

Popularity

You can have a veritable Trivial Pursuit party when thinking up reference points to Jonezetta’s brand of retro-‘80s rock. The Euro-swank of Duran Duran, the throbbing angst of the Cure, and the brazen punk-pop of Billy Idol are all suggested on the Mississippi quartet’s 2006 debut Popularity. Added is a snarky lyric edge (reinforced by frontman Robert Chisolm’s vocals) fused with a discernable Christian sensibility. Rather than pay homage to the music of the Reagan Era, Jonezetta has fun mixing and matching the discofied grooves and florescent licks of those fabled days. “Get Ready (Hot Machete),””Man in a 3K Suit,” and “Burn It Down!” flaunt their hooks shamelessly, thumping to the most insistent post-punk beats this side of Franz Ferdinand. Jonezetta fires shots at preening scene-makers and rival bands, saving a bit of self-criticism for “The Love That Carries Me.” Fleeting references to God — popping up in “Get Ready (Hot Machete)” and “Backstabber,” among other places — add some gravity to the generally frothy tone of the album. A brisk and confident first effort, Popularity is definitely more than the sum of its pre-owned parts.

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