Today is the day that music lovers have been awaiting for years, though most of them don’t realize it just yet. Today, Jackpot, a quirky California quartet releases their third album, Shiny Things. While the band may not quite be visible in the mainstream, their influences are unmistakable. If Shiny Things were a cookbook, it would call for a cup of Wilco, a teaspoon of Sonic Youth, a pinch of the Psychedelic Furs and a dash of Smash Mouth for that retro velvet lounge atmosphere.
If the band’s sound does not set it apart from the rest, the songwriting will. Lead singer/guitarist Rusty Miller wrote nearly all of the album’s lyrics, and his style is a whimsical roller coaster that loops somewhere between Oasis and Dr. Seuss.
For example, in “Hide in the Frequency,” Miller writes, “hide in the frequency, sleep in the tympani, wrap that trombone around my head.” On “Psycho Ballerina,” he says, “I can’t be your Superman ’cause no one’s really that super, but I’ll steal the neighbor’s cat with you.”
And just when you think Miller is totally off his rocker, he pens, “the moon is an ovum, we are sperm” and “what if life was a microwave and our souls were frozen dinners” on “Fleas on the Tail of Time.”
OK, so he’s no John Lennon, but you have to admit, Miller’s lyrics have a way of sparking some kind of reaction, which is what every good songwriter aspires for. Of course, without vocals and instrumentals, the lyrics are about as inspiring as a dead armadillo on the side of the road.
The CD starts with “Far Far Far,” a mid-tempo ditty that mixes a spacey organ with mystical chimes for a sparkling melody that compliments Miller’s slightly nasal Ryan Adams-esque vocals.
Midway through the album is “When You Leave,” an acoustic folksy tune reminiscent of the Kansas classic “Dust in the Wind.” But just when you think Miller is suddenly becoming serious and deep, Jackpot spins the pace with “Tatoos.” The tune strolls along with a throbbing baseline and hollow guitar chords much like the Butthole Surfers’ “Pepper.”
While Shiny Things may not be found in the R&B section with Marvin Gaye and The Delfonics, it does get a little groovy with “Throw Away Your Misery.” Here, Sheldon Cooney’s once-steady basslines take on the psychedelic funk of Flea amidst some well-timed vocal gasps.
With cosmic, melodious vibes and lyrics that make you say “what the h-e-double hockey sticks,” Shiny Things is one album that really appeals to the senses. It may not be radio-friendly, but the album is like a shot of tequila: it may not go down easy, but it feels really good afterwards.