Album Review: Stars of Stage And Screen - The Pop Project
Early last week I received a copy of The Pop Project's long awaited third album, Stars of Stage And Screen (Suburban Sprawl). That was roughly five days ago, and since then it has not left my side for the dreaded fear that I may never hear such masterful pop come form Detroit ever again. I have taken it with me everywhere: to Best Buy to purchase a new washer and dyer, to The Filmore Detroit to see The Raconteurs, and to the Festival of The Arts in Midtown where it almost melted under the hot, hot sun.All kidding aside, I have been a long time fan of pop masters Squeeze (Tilbrook and Difford are my Lennon and McCarty). With this knowledge in hand, it is safe to say that Curd, Lawson, Yates and Adams may have put together a batch of songs that are on par with Squeeze's 1981 masterpiece, East Side Story. As with any great pop record, the harmonies on Stars of Stage And Screen are explosive with all three of the core singer/songwriters (Curd, Lawson & Yates) offering up delightfully different vocal styles that keep each song sounding fresh while not destroying the album's overall continuity. This is apparent in the track ordering, which rotates every third track or so between singers.
But what makes this album stay on par with Squeeze, Joe Jackson, Howard Jones and the like is clearly the captivating storytelling. For instance, the upbeat "Never Got The Breaks" tells the tale of a 15 year old local Detroit band that seemed to never hit the "big time," while "Totally Awesome" hearkens to the awkwardness of teenage youth, and "Hearts And Flowers" paints an inappropriate love affair between the singer and his young Lolita.
Producer Andy Thompson did a remarkable job of keeping the direction of this musically gifted foursome, while the tremendous instrumentation of keys, horns, violins, cello and guitar keep you coming back for more. Topped off with host of guest musicians, vocalists and a artful Thompson mix, there is no reason why this album should not get the attention it deserves.
The Pop Project should be proud of this album. It's been a long five years but well worth the wait. For a preview, check out the free MP3 of "House of Books" and don't miss The Pop Project this Saturday's at the CAID in Detroit, which is part of the inaugural Rock City Fest.
Labels: Pop Project
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