Damn Billy Joe Armstrong, his voice and his little
band Green Day. Well, not really. Damn all the bands
who have, in the years since Dookie! plopped out, taken up the flag and made making a comparison to GD a curse in more circles than it's a blessing. See,
'cause every once in a while, you come across a band
that's not blatantly ripping Green Day off but has the
same energy that that little trio had when the sun
rose on them back in '90s.
Armor For Sleep don't so much sound like Green Day but
they do have that energy and they do write easily
digestible songs that suggest there's a lot more going
on than you might imagine at first. Vocalist/guitarist
Ben Jorgensen is highly listenable, charming his way
through each of the songs on this tastefully short
disc. Jorgensen, the main songwriter, also writes
great lyrics, ones that capture real human experience
with humor and grace, ones that make you jealous that
you didn't think of them first. ("The Wanderer's
Guild," "Frost and Front Steps" and "Phantoms Now" are
but three of the tracks that inspire instant repeat
listens.)
With bandmates Anthony Dilonno (bass), Nash Breen
(drums) and P.J. DeCicco (guitar) at his side making
great music, Jorgensen seems one of those voices
capable of accomplishing great things. It's nice to
have people like him writing energetic, pop-ish songs
with that precious commodity (and thankfully not as
rare as cynics would have you believe), substance.
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