Music review: Jeff Whalen – 鈥�10 More Rock Super Hits鈥�
As the lead singer of the Los Angeles band Tsar, Jeff Whalen delivered infectious slices of glam rock sprinkled with sugary-sweet pop innocence.
The band鈥檚 self-titled release in 2000 and second full-length offering 鈥淏and-Girls-Money鈥� in 2005 featured plenty of opportunity for clapping and head swaying on tracks like 鈥淐alling All Destroyers,鈥� 鈥淜athy Fong Is the Bomb鈥� and 鈥淲anna Get Dead.鈥�
On his own and left to his own devices, Whalen releases his first solo effort with a title that tells you all you need to know.
With 鈥�10 More Rock Super Hits,鈥� Whalen picks up right where Tsar left off by crafting hook-filled tracks that drip with delightful traces of youthful energy and adolescent wonderment.
鈥淕oofing Around鈥� introduces the set with a Fountains of Wayne vibe and its lighthearted message about not taking life too seriously.
鈥淛endy!鈥� is a peppy love song with a retro style that is suited for repeated jukebox play at the corner soda shop where all the teenagers congregate to dance and enjoy a chocolate malt.
Whalen channels vintage Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander on 鈥淭he Alien Lanes.鈥� This soaring rocker evokes elements of Cheap Trick鈥檚 鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Take It鈥� and 鈥淚nvaders of the Heart鈥� from the Todd Rundgren-produced 鈥淣ext Position Please鈥� from 1983.
Whalen takes a slight left turn on 鈥淪hanghai Surprise鈥� with its quirky vaudevillian feel, before quickly transitioning back to the sweet sounds of pop on the love confessional 鈥淒on鈥檛 Give Up.鈥�
From the perkiness of 鈥淕round Game for Worm鈥� to the savory beat of 鈥淜ung Fu Criminal鈥� to the ballad theatrics of 鈥淪oylent Blue,鈥� Whalen鈥檚 got it all going on.
The title track closes things out with the same bouncy tone that started the festivities and will leave a smile on your face long after the music stops.
On his website, Whalen playfully asks for all to surrender to the Bubbleglam Revolution. I鈥檝e already enlisted. Are you next?