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Checkout Some Of These Great Reviews!
(please note that these are older reviews from the time the album was released)
The Rosenbergs have created a bit of brouhaha with their turning down a spot
on
Jimmy (Iovine) and Doug’s (Morris) Farmclub.com due to unfavorable contractual
terms in favor of a more progressive deal with Discipline Global Mobile, the
label co-owned by Robert (King Crimson) Fripp and David Singleton.
This publicity has served the Rosenbergs well in their bid to reach a wider audience
with their work. However, this entire buzz has been focused on strictly non-musical
issues. Which is a pity because, based on 1999 album Ameripop, the pure power
pop of The Rosenbergs should be enough to gain the appropriate attention.
Mission: You, The Rosenbergs’ debut album proper carries on where Ameripop left
off, and in fact includes a track (“Soaked in Polyester”) that featured on the
earlier disc. Which means that the astute pop-rock listener will be treated to
eleven tracks of the very best that modern power pop can offer.
I kid you not. Whilst the US power pop underground may be infested with lo-fi,
derivative facsimiles of British Invasion (Beatles, Who, Kinks) and early 70s
pop-rock (Raspberries, Badfinger, Big Star); The Rosenbergs create perhaps the
perfect examples of how power pop should really be delivered: instantly hummable
tunes, deft guitar work, dynamic performances and odd tangential instrumentation
to keep things always interesting.
Did I forget to mention a sense of humor? Opening track “Sucking on a Plum,” begins
with the voice of a little girl singing, – “Ring around the rosies/Pocketful
of posies/Ashes ashes we all fall down” – the significance of which I believe
is twofold. One, a nod and a wink to their obvious influences, Seattle’s finest
powerpop combo The Posies and two, a reference to the nursery rhyme naivety that
imbues much of this lively work.
After all, kids love songs with lots of sugar and certainly “Sucking on a Plum,” “Paper
and Plastic,” “Little Lie,” “In Pursuit,” “Fast Asleep” and “Soaked in Polyester” could
only come from wide-eyed optimism and a youthful perspective. Once those hooks
dig deep, there’s no escaping their intoxicating effect – the confirmation of
power pop brilliance.
It gets better – oh yeah! On the dreamy “Secret,” the band casts their vigorous
pop-rock style with a dash of soft pop (with its vibes and jaunty rhythms), on
the tranquil “Drug of Choice,” the ghosts of Jellyfish are raised with confidence
and on the slightly rustic “Overboard,” the melancholic tone provides an fitting
conclusion to a superb album.
If Mission: You fails to move you, then you must be no lover of melodic excellence
and pop precision. Suffice to say, this is an essential purchase for all true
pop fans.
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The New York-based Rosenbergs put it all together on their debut record for Robert
Fripp's Discipline Global Mobile label. After a couple of years of being touted
as one of the best unsigned bands in America, the power-pop quartet delivers
the goods in spades: the guitar crunch, great hooks and nice harmonies. Fans
of bands like Fountains of Wayne, The Posies, and Jellyfish will find plenty
to love here.
The record opens with a little girl singing "Ring Around the Rosie," before crashing
into the first tune, "Sucking On a Plum." Between plenty of melodic "bop-bops" and "nah-nah-nahs," the
band shifts tempos and stops and starts with aplomb. Singer/guitarist David Fagin
comes up with a classic goofy nonsequitur, "If you and me have sex could we keep
it all together/I hear your dog's named Rex. Did you knit him a sweater?" "Paper
and Plastic" has another killer chorus. It also begins an invasion of new wave
keyboards which continues for the rest of the record and which adds to the Fountains
of Wayne comparison. "In Pursuit" is perhaps the perfect melancholy pop song,
with terrific guitar work and a nice Fagin vocal. "Drug Of Choice" sounds a bit
like Jellyfish's "The King is Half Undressed." "Fast Asleep" adds a touch of
sunny, Supergrass-like Brit-pop. "Soaked In Polyester" is reprised from their
previous indie release Ameripop. The pounding drums and extra guitar crunch make
it the hardest rocking number here, and perhaps the band's best chance at a modern
rock hit. Fortunately, it's also a great song that you wouldn't mind hearing
on the radio. The record concludes with a seven minute, dreamy Pink Floyd-like
tune called "Overboard."
Sean Slone
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David Fagin's lyrics treat traditional tormented love themes creatively, and
the cohesiveness of the band proves they're not just playing at being rock stars.
With the help of Discipline Global Mobile, they released Mission: You, a gorgeously
produced sophomore effort, drowning out critics who might have suggested they
were a gimmicky fluke.
Kieran McCarthy
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The Rosenbergs may very well be the most enterprising band in show business,
playing incessantly, getting signed to Robert Fripp's label, and talking Napster
into funding their tour. What's more, they've got enough talent to actually deserve
all the good fortune they get.
Their new CD, Mission: You, shows that all their hard work has paid off; it's
everything a pop album should be. The combined ingredients of the songwriting
and vocal chops of David Fagin; the tight, crisp playing of the band; and the
production smarts and techniques of Dan Iannuzzelli (bands should definitely
contact this guy, 'cause he's good!) have created a power pop feast for the palate
-
as crunchy as a Nestle bar on the outside, and as smooth as a Milky Way on the
inside, with tons of atmosphere to boot!
Tracks like "Sucking On A Plum," "Paper And Plastic," and "Fast Asleep" are the
kind of tunes The Posies should have done more of on their Frosting On The Beater
album. "After All" has a really neat radio friendly vibe. As good as these are,
the best tracks on Mission: You are in the middle of the disc; "Secret," "Houseboat," and "Drug
Of Choice" will absolutely bring you to your knees with their warmth, beauty,
and polish. Purchasers of Mission: You will receive an extra copy of the disc
absolutely free, one that they are asked to "share with a friend." This burst
of altruism is also a really neat marketing tool, since it will bring exposure
to consumers who otherwise might not have heard them, thereby priming these people
to buy the next Rosenbergs album. Pretty clever, but totally in keeping with
the band's very smart approach to marketing.
by David Bash
From Toast Magazine
Click Here To Buy Mission:You From Amazon.com
Click Here To Buy Mission:You IMPORT (+1 Bonus Track) From Amazon.com
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