Head Automatica – Decadence / 2004 Warner Bros / 11 Tracks / http://www.headautomatica.com / http://www.warnerbros.com / Reviewed 01 November 2004
Starting off “Decadence†with a Strokes and Hives-influenced track, “At The Speed of A Yellow Bulletâ€, Daryl’s first side project to Glassjaw captures a completely different side of eir. Keeping the same general sound, albeit incorporating a funky synth line and shuffling drum beat, “Brooklyn Is Burning†does much to continue fleshing out the band’s song without going completely out on a tangent. Perfect fodder for Clearchannel, Head Automatica has that insightful amalgamation of a myriad of styles, kept simple in order to approach the largest fan base. Finally tapping the rich well of emo music during “Beating Heart Babyâ€, the track seems more directed towards the math/shoegazer rock of The Red Hot Valentines and The Killers than directed towards 70s arena rock. The second set of vocals during “Beating Heart Babyâ€, along with the omnipresent bass line, add a fullness, even bordering on lushness, to the track that seems oddly absent on a number of tracks during “Decadenceâ€.
For example, the funky-dance beat of “Please Please Please†seems to be anti-septic; each of the guitar blurbs and synth lines seem to be a little too perfect; even the rich tones of Daryl’s voice can’t dispel this offsetting feeling. The snottiness of Daryl’s voice becomes unbearable during “King Caesarâ€, which is only rendered worse by a cluttered and unoriginal backbeat – I’ve heard it before, in every Newsboys song. Even the lyrics on “King Caesar†seem uninspired: “Hip Hip Hooray, You’re A Saving Grace, Here’s To You and Your Poker Faceâ€. Bringing back the bass in a strong way during “The Razorâ€, in a way that sounds more Clash and Police-ish than anything, the track is one of the stronger on “Decadenceâ€. Strong, spat-out lyrics by Daryl and the ska-guitars provide the high end where the previously-mentioned bass and the bass-y drums add much to the low.
Head Automatica is an inspired step from Glassjaw, and the disc is perfect in a party type of setting. However, some of the tracks are weak in Daryl’s sent-in Claudio rip-off vocals (Dance Party Plus), and yet others are weak in the production and arrangement (King Caesar). The continued meshing of different musical styles in such a self-contained package is a victory for Daryl, and hopefully more will be done under this guise, as it holds tons of potential. Daryl just has not divorced eirself completely from eir previous incarnation, and I feel that is what is holding eir back.
Top Tracks: Disco Hades, Brooklyn is Burning
Rating: 5.8/10