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The integrated sounds of acoustic piano and traditional rock and roll instruments are unleashed on the new Jack's Mannequin album, "The Glass Passenger."
Jack's Mannequin's piano driven music has been heard before, but has remained generally under the radar.
Their first album "Everything in Transit" sold 250,000+ albums in the US alone; however, "The Glass Passenger" unveils a far more focused, and bigger sounding band than their debut.
Tracks like the power-pop influenced "American Love" find the band firing on all cylinders. Making liberal use of sharp synthesizers, listeners are treated to a dense arrangement that is as accessible as it is expansive.
Jack's Mannequin's unique take on piano rock is most often attributed to front man and primary songwriter, Andrew McMahon.
Originally from the band Something Corporate, McMahon began Jack's Mannequin as a solo project for songs that weren't quite Something Corporate.
And while they've come a long way from their previous hit "The Mixed Tape," "The Glass Passenger" shows listeners that Jack's Mannequin is more than just a side project.
The album deftly displays how McMahon's sugary voice is very different from other current artists.
A comparison might be made between McMahon and Clayton Stroope from the band Thriving Ivory, but McMahon's impassioned croon distinguishes a talent all his own.
Yet McMahon doesn't deserve all of the credit, as there are other solid performances on "The Glass Passenger."
The rest of Jack's Mannequin consists of a tight rhythm section, thanks to the pulsing bass work from Jonathan Sullivan and the steady drum fills of Jay McMillan.
Guitarist Bobby Anderson rounds out the group, providing solid back-up vocals as well as the necessary guitar touches that complement McMahon's piano.
A majority of McMahon's songs feature love as a common theme as well as vivid images from his native California.
The result is an album that feels fresh rather than cliché, a set of songs with character rather than ballads that adhere to a painfully obvious formula.
Whether these songs are the byproduct of McMahon's unfortunate run-in with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, it's not clear.
It is possible that some of the tracks featured on the new album are the result of some soul searching done by the infamous piano front man after his diagnosis in June 2005.
The aptly titled "Swim" might have been one such song inspired by the near death experience.
With gentle electronic flourishes and watery piano lines, McMahon laments on how, "You gotta swim/Swim for your life/Swim for the music that saves you/When you're not so sure you'll survive…"
And while the lush sounds on "The Glass Passenger" are well crafted, that's not to say it doesn't have its weak points.
The sedated first single, "The Resolution," never really takes off, while McMahon pushes his voice to an irritating whine on "Annie Use Your Telescope."
In fact, the only time the record falters is when McMahon rehashes old ideas, which is thankfully sparing.
However, there are some pleasant surprises through out the disc.
The guest vocals from Stacy Clark on "Crashin'" and "Spinning" add that feminine touch that fills out the album, and creates the rich sound Jack's Mannequin has strived to accomplish.
It's surprising how diverse this album is considering how signature a sound McMahon crafts.
Songs like the somber "Hammer & Strings (A Lullaby)" revel in their emotive power while the up tempo "Crashin'" feels like its tailor-made for the singles charts.
Yet despite McMahon's tendency for sing-songy hooks, nothing on the album ever feels forced or overwritten.
Following the trend of bands experimenting with album releases, "The Glass Passenger" is going to be distributed in three different setups.
The first is the Traditional, which includes a collector's edition CD and a DVD. The second is the Retro, containing a premium vinyl package and a deluxe photo/lyric book.
And the third being the Digital, is a digital album and the deluxe photo/lyric book.
All in all, "The Glass Passenger" proves to be a concrete album, which should do very well in sales and popularity.
The album is a compilation not of artists, but of talent.
It provides the complete package of evocative lyrical content, musical aptitude, and is held together with passion and heart.
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