The Jealous Sound

(Better Looking)
by Tim Den

I’m very, very glad to see Blair Shehan (ex-Knapsack) back at it. After giving himself some much-deserved time off, Shehan is back with The Jealous Sound, a mellower, yet no less angelic, version of the band put to sleep prematurely. Enlisting a member of Sunday’s Best (guitarist Pedro Benito) and an ex-member of Ten Foot Pole (drummer Tony Palermo) gives the new band a “supergroup” feel of sorts, but we know who’s in charge of the creative process here. The five songs scream Shehan, with his trademarked tenor vocals and melodic route (easily identifiable because of their major-scale progressions), with touches of farfisa and piano accentuating sections when needed. I miss Sergie Loobkoff’s (guitarist/songwriter of Samiam, also ex-Knapsack) intricate pickings that brought out unsung shades of Shehan’s compositions, but the new band doesn’t sound any less impressive without him. I look forward to their live show and full-length.
(11041 Santa Monica Blvd. PMB#302 Los Angeles, CA 90025)