John Southworth
Mars Pennsylvania
Bar/None
Though I really like this record, I can easily see why it could drive a grown Viking to tears of rage. John Southworth mixes equal parts mid-'80s jazzy pop sound -- think ABC, Style Council and Haircut 100 -- and Beach Boys sensibilities quite well. Lyrics seem to be the result of fever dreams, sometimes disconnected but eerily coherent. Southworth's voice is a gentle tuneful rasp more reminiscent of vaudeville singers than cool crooners, and the whole package fits together beautifully. Dust off your pale blue cardigan and give it a spin.
Bar/None Records, P.O. Box 1704, Hoboken, NJ 07030; http://www.bar-none.com
--Anton Wagner
