posted: February 13, 2009
Discussing this record with Jordan the other day, we were chatting about the generally good review that his first record has racked up and he said “But no ones’ given me five stars yet”. Well buddy, here’s your five star review.
If your favorites in the pop genre include Todd Rundgren, XTC, 10cc and Matthew Sweet, you are going to love this record. All of the tracks on Insides Out are original compositions except for “Studebaker” that was one of his fathers previously unreleased tracks. This is the only part of the record where Jordan sounds like his dad and it’s just fine with me.
What makes Zevon a genius is that he borrows but doesn’t steal. If you are a student of pop, you can definitely hear all of the influences on this record. (I swore he was channeling Badfinger on “Home” and “Camila Rose” really has a bit of a Something/Anything feel) To top it off, the songwriting is fantastic, that perfect blend of clever and fun, without being smug. From the first chorus of “The Jokes on Me”, you will be hooked.
This is my favorite record of the year so far. Read the article in the upcoming issue of TONEAudio Magazine to get the rest of my conversation with Jordan.
–Jeff Dorgay
