In the course of recording
Wide Eyed, Junior Varsity experienced a bout of karmic balance: they were robbed four times in five weeks, losing equipment, iPods and thousands of dollars worth of CDs and t-shirts to the various perpetrators. We call this karmic balance because Junior Varsity are industrious thieves themselves -- they've grabbed whole handfuls of music from their pop-punk peers, '80s synth jockeys (think Ric Ocasek) and '70s prog rockers like Yes. It would almost be cause for some quiet schadenfreude, if not for the fact that Junior Varsity actually pull it off. Like a handsome jewel thief in a high budget heist film, they actually make us want them to get away with their crimes. They're that good.
Wide Eyed is a charming breeze of a summer album, full of dueling guitar lines, spaced-out synths, gallumphing drums and boyish vocal harmonies. "If It Hurts You" stomps in on a simple drumbeat; keyboardist Nick Dodson shores up spartan guitar melodies with minor key synth arpeggios. There's definitely a lot of personality here -- some of it, admittedly, borrowed. "Everyone's Got Something They're Running Out Of" pays homage to Rush, in both name and practice, while "Mad for Medusa"'s richly textured guitars and propulsive vocals give pop-punk a shot in the arm.
It's difficult to separate Wide Eyed from its numerous reference points, but if you're game for a trip down memory lane, Junior Varsity make affable guides. Come on, be a pal. They'd really like to buy some new iPods.
