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| Dr. Manhattan - Jam Dreams | Dr. Manhattan - Jam Dreams
Record Label: Cassette Deck
Release Date: August 18th, 2009
Having grown up in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, I can safely say there has ever been only two good things come out of Wauconda, IL: J.J. Twiggs pizza and Dr. Manhattan; both are cheesy and delicious, and leave you wanting more. I always felt that Dr. Manhattan’s self-titled Vagrant debut was one of the most under-appreciated albums to release in 2008. Dr. Manhattan is back, this time with local record label Cassette Deck at their back, to give you one of the most bizarre albums of 2009.
Jam Dreams is not by any means the perfect album, but if you take it for what it’s meant to be, it’s a lot of fun. Lyrically, it seems to be a tad lighter than their self-titled. Tracks like "Misses Stuart" and "Biscuits and Groovy" will make this very apparent. These songs may not pack a lot of meaning, but I can think of no better adjective to describe them – they are just plain fun. They are the kind of songs that make you want to roll the windows down, turn the volume up, and just drive. "Biscuits and Groovy" happens to be my favorite track on the album for just this reason. I don’t care if I look like an idiot doing it, there is a certain inexplicable joy I get from shouting “I am a zombie!” that keeps me coming back for more.
If there is one thing Jam Dreams suffers from, it’s awkward pacing. The album starts off with the fast and intense "Electraumatized" and segways perfectly into the cold, bitter "Texas". After their gut wrenching start, D-man slows things down with "After All", and while it’s a good song in its own right, it feels like a song you’d want to skip so you can get right back into the action. Thankfully, the next song, "Mailman", picks right up where they left off. The same can be said for "Cowlgirl", it feels slow and out of place amongst other high-energy jams.
With tracks like" Man With a Woman’s Chest", D-man successfully remains quirky and fun until the bitter end. I think Dr. Manhattan has done an excellent job in showing that not every album needs to be loaded with deep and impacting lyrics to be good. Just because you aren’t going to be quoting these songs on your MySpace blog does not mean that they aren’t worth a listen. D-man has captured the essence of fun, and printed it onto a plastic disc. There is tons and tons of heart and energy in this release; anyone should be able to pick it up and find something they will enjoy. I think these guys got the name perfect on this one – if you just want to jam… this album is a dream.
http://www.myspace.com/drmanhattan |
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Displaying posts 1 - 5 of 5. |
01:13 PM on 10/31/09 | The world is yours, so take it. I'm generally a lyric person. If the lyrics are terrible, it is hard for me to like it. This album is that one exception (not that their lyrics are terrible, but you said it best - "These songs may not pack a lot of meaning, but I can think of no better adjective to describe them – they are just plain fun."). Having been a fan of their self-titled, I had high hopes for Jam Dreams, and this album surpassed those expectations. Honestly, I think it's my album of the year, I just can't stop spinning it. I truly wish they were more appreciated. | | |
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11:56 AM on 11/09/09 | also my album of the year (see my review) | | |
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04:31 AM on 11/10/09 |  I'm generally a lyric person. If the lyrics are terrible, it is hard for me to like it. This album is that one exception (not that their lyrics are terrible, but you said it best - "These songs may not pack a lot of meaning, but I can think of no better adjective to describe them – they are just plain fun."). Having been a fan of their self-titled, I had high hopes for Jam Dreams, and this album surpassed those expectations. Honestly, I think it's my album of the year, I just can't stop spinning it. I truly wish they were more appreciated. |
This and their S/T are, in my opinion, very different lyrically. Their first CD seems to have more clever, thought provoking lyrics (at least, on some songs). However... I like the style on Jam Dreams, and especially when taking their live show into consideration, I think these songs are more fitting of these guys. I've never seen Dman at a real venue, but I've seen plenty of roller rink shows and the occasional coffee haus basement show, its always been tight intimate situations where the band is allowed to play for hours and do their own thing. When you get to watch them in an environment like this, these guys get crazy, and they look like they are probably the ones having the most fun at their shows - which is awesome. I really encourage anyone within driving distance of the Chicago area, get your ass out to one of their local shows where they are the only band playing.There will be hours or dancing, partying, drinking, and shenanigans. | | |
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01:31 PM on 11/30/09 | I was pretty bummed that these guys didn't get more attention for their first album, even more bummed I got too drunk before their set went on : P
This new album is pretty interesting, diggin it so far. Much more diverse and thought out compared their first album. | | |
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