Ours

Distorted Lullabies (DreamWorks)
by Scott Hefflon

Ours sends me reeling every time I put it on. Within 15 seconds, “Fallen Souls” reminds me of the subtle violence of Muse, which reminds me of the early Radiohead material that soared dizzily and plummeted sickeningly, leaving you spent, panting, and simply amazed at the paces a mere song can put you through. And unlike most “three decent songs on the record” pop acts in these troubled times, Distorted Lullabies is a restless sleep from beginning to end, sometimes soothing, sometimes sexy, sometimes jumpy and electrifying. Well, it does lag a bit in the middle, and “Bleed” and “Dizzy” don’t bring back the original chest-grabbingness of “Drowning” and “Miseryhead,” but either of those – or the heart-rending “I’m a Monster” – added to a powerful movie scene could be one of the most moving experiences of your life. And lightening rarely strikes so often in the same place, ya know?

Frontman Jimmy Gnecco grew up in northern New Jersey during the late-’80s, as his modern delivery of passionate dark ballads and kinda creepy melodies and symphonics display. Hints of Queen’s belt-it-out melodrama, U2’s subtle intonation/howling, and his own wild vibrato signature makes Ours on par with Muse, both excellent examples of newcomers on majors setting the bar high, making most other pop sound pale and empty in comparison.