Popaganda
Daryl Palumbo used to be in the post-hardcore stalwarts, Glassjaw, but the past few years have seen him focusing on his pop/dance rock band,
Head Automatica. Glassjaw recently reunited for a string of shows and may get back together full-time. Well, I can’t say I’d be heartbroken over the end of Head Automatica if that were to happen.
The first single, “Graduation Day”, kicks things off and the hooks aren’t the least bit catchy to me. Neither are the ones on the second song, or third song. “Nowhere Fast” is a mid-tempo track that’s livened up by Daryl’s unique vocal stylings, and his need for “a hit”, which is drugs in the beginning of the song and a hit single in the end. “God” is propelled by handclaps, catchy verses and a clever chorus. There is some oddness, such as “Egyptian Musk”, which has a straight-up dance beat with lyrics like “There’s a suicidal Taliban for talent on the cusp”. “Cannibal Girl” treads familiar emo/pop territory; it’s about a boy-crazy, heartbreaker of a girl. The closing “K Horse” has a programmed beat over a dance rock drumbeat, where Daryl battles his Crohn’s disease and religion. It’s a solid way to close an unremarkable album. There is a bonus track, “Beating Heart Baby”, which was lifted off of their last album, Decadence. This is one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in the new millenium. The vocals are infectious, the drums make you want to dance (not me, dancing’s for fags), and the keyboards have a retro feel that makes you forget your worries. Where was this undeniable catchiness on the new songs?
