Joywave's "Somebody New" Is Something Else

Praise be mighty to recording acts that can straddle numerous genres with equal ease. That distinction goes to Rochester, New York's Joywave, a band tossing indie rock, pop, and electronica into their delectable stew. "Somebody New" delivers crashing rhythms for the cerebral listeners among us. Key to allowing this package to unwrap in eye-popping fashion, Paul Brenner, drum God, lets it be known at the outset that we're not being treated to some lightweight fluff that can be easily dismissed after you've switched off your iPod. Sean Donnelly, no relation to 1990s band Belly's vocalist Tanya, works his bass into a powerful fever pitch that refuses to let us turn the other way. If vocalist Daniel Armbruster represents the brains, then Sean's the spine for this operation. He's erected the back massage of bass guitarists for everyone to be inspired by. At the other end, Benjamin Bailey's keyboard playing pulls back the social veil many of us wear in the name of politeness. With vocals, bass, and keyboards fused together, "Somebody New" constitutes a unique ride across the stirrups of our ears. These lyrics speak to monogamy's allure. Plainly Daniel loves the one he's with. Stephen Stills probably would sport a complex ear to ear grin if he got wind of this. "Don't ever wanna wake up next to somebody new." Sounds like the guy found his soul mate. Big pats on the back for him. Even though he's swimming around in relationship bliss territory, he makes enough air space to address the perils of your mind being everywhere but on the immediate patch of road ahead. With admirable cantor he says: "With my eyes to the south and my brain up in space flip my nervous hips around I'm a step out of sync. Take note blog buds, yoga practitioners call on the holistic strength behind mind + body = health. Clearly Daniel has some straightening out to do before he can claim to be a fully integrated functioning adult. What devilish glee we can derive from his quest to clarify which way is up. Tossing the aural baton from bass to keyboards with chilling deliberateness was a masterstroke. The bass guitar buoys your side trip to the stars. You get in that comfort zone when, out of nowhere, BAM!!! Benjamin seeks out and pummels the small of your back that can't absorb too much of those wind chill factor notes for too long a span of time. So as not to make him feel left out I want to clarify that lead guitarist Joseph Morinelli applies lunch pail toughness to his end of his minstrel's bargain. What can be surmised about "Somebody New" as a separate piece of work. Is it an electronic love letter? Does it allow a direct link to Daniel's not very well concealed insecurities? As is true in any arts related endeavor it's up to the beholder to reach his or her own conclusions. Music's landscape, its industry consists of folks who get a giant big out of deriving attention from the wider world. That "look at me" ethos crashing into pathos blend you may recall from grade school gets supersized in this field. Joywave doesn't create the loudest noise during "Somebody New". It merely stakes out its territory in the crowd by smartly melding together a highly compelling one. In indie rock's been there heard that atmosphere Joywave has done both itself and its artistry proud. "Something New" is definitely something to crow about.