Music Reviews

Johnny Society

Wood

Messenger

Kenny Siegal, Johnny Society’s vocalist and chief songwriter, has one of those distinctive melodic styles to go along with his distinctive voice and distinctive harmonies. Musically speaking, this is pretty close to Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles, with lovely large rock instruments sharing space with esoterics like Mellotron, optigan and something called a Crumar. If you know of the Ophelias (unfortunately, not many do), then you might have an idea of Johnny Society’s approach to their songs – the music often takes an unexpected turn, one that teeters on the verge of not working, but always falls squarely on the right side of catchy. This is inexplicably addictive, the kind of record you’ll dismiss after the first listen, returning to it days later after you find your dreams plagued with its soundtrack. Messenger Records, P.O. Box 1607, New York, NY 10113


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