2010, Sweetheart Beats Music
VINYL FORMAT. Even though he plays all the instruments on his critically acclaimed debut album, ("Ban-er-jee." Just Like It's Spelled.), New York City-based Jay Banerjee considers himself, "a songwriter more than a musician. The only reason I play everything myself is because I don't really get along with people too well." Strange that someone apparently so misanthropic would spend his time crafting sparkling pop melodies, which carry sharp, wordplay-heavy and girl crazy lyrics that veer from spiteful to sweet and back again. Banerjee's debut gives listeners an acute glimpse into a life of romantic turmoil… and hints of what to expect from him in the future.
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Customer Reviews
2 reviews
DeaconA favorite of mine, and a favorite of yours, too, unless you suck.
Jay parlays a slew of tasteful, traditionalist influences (Beatles, Motown, Nuggets, Beatles, power-pop, new wave, Byrds, Beatles, Beatles, and did I mention Beatles) into a jangly, garagey, and super-catchy whole.
It's also nice that someone made a rock'n'roll album with, y'know, actual lyrics, instead of going with the ever-popular "string together a bunch of random rhymes and hope people think there's some 'inner meaning'" approach. Beyond boasting some tasty Costello-esque wordplay, Jay's stories are painstakingly developed. And (surprise!) they're all about girls. There's the one who drives him to suicide ("Dear Donna"), the one he throws out of his nice apartment and into the heartless streets of New York City ("Long Way Home"), the one he can't impress ("Lindsay"), the one he can't talk to ("See Her Face"), the one he can't convince ("Kate"), and all the rest. The lines can be as sweet as a boxful of kittens or as cutting as a Cuisinart, and sometimes both within one song. Complete lyrical transcriptions are in the gatefold, so, awesome.
The production is low-fi for sure, which is not a complaint, just an observation. Jay's vocals (a wee bit gruff and unpolished) take getting used to, but his keening, unsteady tones fit his lyrics perfectly. I can't imagine an American Idol finalist singing this sort of stuff, anyway.
Jay's emotions are real, not pre-fabricated. His music is a compelling vehicle for everything that he has to say. Everything comes together wonderfully. This is seriously one of the best LPs to come along in a little while. Buy it now before Pitchfork has to tell you that he's cool.
Jay parlays a slew of tasteful, traditionalist influences (Beatles, Motown, Nuggets, Beatles, power-pop, new wave, Byrds, Beatles, Beatles, and did I mention Beatles) into a jangly, garagey, and super-catchy whole.
It's also nice that someone made a rock'n'roll album with, y'know, actual lyrics, instead of going with the ever-popular "string together a bunch of random rhymes and hope people think there's some 'inner meaning'" approach. Beyond boasting some tasty Costello-esque wordplay, Jay's stories are painstakingly developed. And (surprise!) they're all about girls. There's the one who drives him to suicide ("Dear Donna"), the one he throws out of his nice apartment and into the heartless streets of New York City ("Long Way Home"), the one he can't impress ("Lindsay"), the one he can't talk to ("See Her Face"), the one he can't convince ("Kate"), and all the rest. The lines can be as sweet as a boxful of kittens or as cutting as a Cuisinart, and sometimes both within one song. Complete lyrical transcriptions are in the gatefold, so, awesome.
The production is low-fi for sure, which is not a complaint, just an observation. Jay's vocals (a wee bit gruff and unpolished) take getting used to, but his keening, unsteady tones fit his lyrics perfectly. I can't imagine an American Idol finalist singing this sort of stuff, anyway.
Jay's emotions are real, not pre-fabricated. His music is a compelling vehicle for everything that he has to say. Everything comes together wonderfully. This is seriously one of the best LPs to come along in a little while. Buy it now before Pitchfork has to tell you that he's cool.
Debra Banerjee's tunes are catchy. Love the jangly guitar. Looking forward to his second album.