Philadelphia Grand Jury - Hope is for Hopers reviewed
February 14th 2010 10:17
Rock & Roll: Philadelphia Grand Jury
Known as the Philly Jay's around the Australian indie/rock scene, Philadelphia Grand Jury are a Sydney duo (Berkfinger on vocals and guitar and MC Bad Genius on bass, keyboard and guitar).
The Philly Jay's album' Hope is for Hopers', released in September 2009, was their debut album, after releasing an EP entitled 'Going to the Casino' in June 2009.
Hope is for Hopers
Track Listing
1. Ready to Roll
2. The Good News
3. When your Boyfriend Comes Back to Town
4. Wet WInter Holiday
5. I'm Going to Kill You
6. Foot in my Mouth
7. Phillip's not in Love with You
8. Growing up Alone
9. Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)
10. No You Don't
11. The New Neil Young
12. I Don't Want to Party (Party)
2. The Good News
3. When your Boyfriend Comes Back to Town
4. Wet WInter Holiday
5. I'm Going to Kill You
6. Foot in my Mouth
7. Phillip's not in Love with You
8. Growing up Alone
9. Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)
10. No You Don't
11. The New Neil Young
12. I Don't Want to Party (Party)
Hope is for Hopers consists of 12 highly identifiable indie rock/pop tracks, that instantly has you tapping your fingers and singing along to the lyrics. It's hard rock at its finest, the songs short and sharp (with only one song going for more than 3 and a half minutes) and the lyrical content appeals to the audience its targeting. Women, gambling, partying and even a bit of murdering (in I'm going to Kill You) and this is instantly a great party album.
Berkmeister has a very distinctive voice and not a fantastic vocal range, but is suited to the duo's hard & fast sound. As with most groups of this genre the lyrics are fairly shallow, and don't deal with much more than the themes detailed earlier.
Not all is hard rock however. Wet Winter Holiday and The Good News are nowhere as upbeat as the rest of the album, but are polished pop songs that still have you frantically nodding your head.
Energetic and in your face, the Philly Jays provide rousing drum beats, and noisy guitar riffs that along with Berkmeisters unique voice that will have you screaming the lyrics out your car window with the windows down and the stereo blaring.
Top Tracks: Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night), No you Don't (schreeching guitar a real highlight) and I'm Going to Kill you are fantastic rock anthems, whilst Phillip's Not in Love with You and The Good News are slower tracks that are polished to perfection - with Berkfingers grating vocals seperating them from your average indie pop track.
Rating: Like everything the Philly Jay's do, this album is best served loud - and in small doses - too much and it tends to become overly repititive. Great music for a big night out or if you need your classic rock fix with identifiable themes.
3 and a half out of 5.
Posted by Adam.
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Comment by Alexander Bennetts
Noise & Words & Things & Shit
I like this album.
Am I the only one that comments here?
Comment by Whiz-Kid
Melodic Youth
Yeah it's a good album with raw energy, but I just had a few things that stopped me from rating it higher.