Beat Blvd. is Heard Mentality's weekly review of local releases.
If you're an OC musician or band with something new to offer–vinyl
single, full length album, CD, cassette–we want to hear from you! Send
copies, along with any photos and PR material, to Beat Blvd., c/o OC
Weekly, 2975 Red Hill Ave., Suite 150, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. You can
also e-mail us digital downloads atÂ
lb***@oc******.com
.
Justin Soileau
www.myspace.com/justinsoileau
On his short debut solo EP following group work in Fathers Against
Parades, recent Texas to OC transplant Justin Soileau kicks off with a
song called “I'd Never Lie to You”-which, if it refers to the easy
going and straightforward music that suggests a variety of '80s
college rock approaches in a gentle blend, is a perfect statement of
purpose.
]
While it's clearly as inspired by the past decade's indie rock
in general, there's also a bit of Beatles-inspired poppiness, roots-rock
revivalism, and a sense that Soileau could have been seen opening for
someone like Jellyfish just before grunge hit it big. (Calling a song
“Kevorkian” after the famed assisted-suicide doctor is a bit more recent
of a reference in turn, though it's a little hard to imagine the
titular character whistling a ditty like this while going on about his
end-of-life business.) “The Man on the Screen” might be the standout, a
slightly downbeat arrangement suiting the glum lyrical portrait-at
least until the suddenly jaunty midsong break, of course.
