Music review: Jeremy Messersmith – 鈥楲ate Stage Capitalism鈥�
鈥淚 have a knack for awkward silences,鈥� announces Jeremy Messersmith on 鈥淧urple Hearts,鈥� the opening track from his latest release 鈥淟ate Stage Capitalism.鈥�
The album鈥檚 first single playfully describes the uncomfortable feeling of a first date that is quickly going nowhere with Messersmith declaring, 鈥淲e鈥檙e off to an awful start/Proudly showin鈥� off our purple hearts.鈥�
The creative indie-pop artist successfully integrates elements of everyday life on 11 casual tracks of glorious infectious pop.
鈥淢onday, You鈥檙e Not So Bad鈥� finds Messersmith pondering the virtues of the dreaded first day of the work week with a whimsical vibe that sounds like a blending of the Monkees, Fountains of Wayne and the Mamas and the Papas casually hanging out in your living room for an impromptu jam session.
Much of the material possesses a nostalgic feel of the 1960s and could have easily been produced by the likes of Brian Wilson with its simplistic tales of navigating life and finding joy and satisfaction by not taking things too seriously.
The sleek sophistication of 鈥淧ostmodern Girl鈥� evokes the bossa nova stylings of 鈥淭he Girl from Ipanema鈥� with added splashes of vintage Burt Bacharach and his suave melodies.
The opening notes of 鈥淗appy鈥� follow the same recognizable introduction of 鈥淕ood Vibrations鈥� before Messersmith injects his views about compulsively making numerous purchases to find fulfillment when money might be short but time is abundant. As a result of our consumerism, the realization that money can somehow buy happiness is pondered as Messersmith confesses, 鈥淓verything that I hold owns a piece of me.鈥�
The gentle ballad 鈥淒on鈥檛 Call It Love鈥� finds Messersmith reflecting on past relationships that have faded, resulting in the hesitance to attach the four-letter word to a budding romance by simply calling it an infatuation or a full-time fling.
鈥淣o Superheroes in Cleveland鈥� closes the set with the amusing observation that all the superheroes and villains have hastily left town for the more glamorous digs of New York and Los Angeles, leaving residents to go about their day in a state of normalcy without all the hype and fanfare.
There鈥檚 certainly something to be said for living a quiet life as Messersmith crafts a delightful soundtrack that allows all of us to play pretend superhero in our own little world.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.