Escape Music
www.myspace.com/jonmullane
www.jonmullane.com
Review: Craig Hartranft, 07.19.2010
After reading the promo materials for Jon Mullane's second album Shift, I wonder if artists really read and believe the stuff that is written about them. Considering the glorious and verbose description, it appears, with Shift, that I'm listening the next big thing to strike adult contemporary music. Comparisons have been made to everything form Billy Idol to Duran Duran to masterful Eighties-style synth rock. Additionally, Mr. Mullane's single Make You Move was picked up by NBC to promote their coverage of the 2008 summer Olympics. (I don't remember it.) Later, the song was the theme for 2009 World Canoe Championships. Canoe championships? Really? I guess you can race just about anything these days. Make Your Move really didn't move me.
Frankly, I'm not getting it. I could barely wait for Shift to end so that I could 'shift' to reviewing another album. Obviously, I'm not hearing something here.
Don't get me wrong. If you dig 1980's synthesizer driven melodic rock, you will quite possibly love Jon Mullane's Shift. I never really went for it myself. Nevertheless, You Get What You Get is a better than average rocker. I could bear the synths and vocal arrangements on this one. The ballad The One That Got Away might be the only real charmer here, a very solid and moving piece in all ways. The final thing to Mr. Mullane's credit is the exceptional help from Harem Scarum bandmates Creighton Doane (drums, producer) and Pete Lesperance (guitar). Otherwise, I'll take a pass on Jon Mullane's Shift.
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If you dig 1980's synthesizer driven melodic rock, you will quite possibly love Jon Mullane's Shift. As for me, I'll pass.
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