Reviews

Head Automatica is the side project from Daryl Palumbro, the lead singer from genre bending hardcore band glassJAw. For this project he plays keyboard, guitar, and bass, as well as writing the lyrics, singing, and scratching (as in turn tables)— in fact he does everything but the drums, which are supplied by glassJAw drummer larry gorman.  in that way, it is a solo project, which palumbro says are the songs that he has written that didn’t fit with glassjaw’s style.  He is completely right; do not pick up this CD looking for glassjaw or anything like them, because you will be sorely disappointed. What he does create is an extremely diverse, well-articulated, and well put together album, drifting through different genres effortlessly and doing all of them well.  in it, he binds together influences from reggae, hip hop, dance, ska, techno, and even some disco with his well written lyrics and trademark all-over-the-place vocal style. I don’t want to emphasize at the punk or hardcore elements in the cd, since they are dwarfed by the overall diversity in its composition, and, once again, I think going in listening to this with a closed mind is the only way you will be disappointed. Standout tracks are the dance/punk feeling first track (Brooklyn is Burning), the reggae-infused second track (Solid Gold Telephone), and Dance Party Plus, which strikes me as a ska/dance/hymnal and features Tim Armstrong from Rancid. I can’t express how much I really like this cd, it seriously hasn’t left my cd player since I got it. Give it a try and an open mind and I seriously doubt it will disappoint. 5 stars for an awesome release.