2008 Woodie Awards
Jack's Mannequin Come Alive
Jennifer Barrows
Issue date: 8/31/05 Section: Focus
Andrew McMahon, the piano-pounding front man of the pop-punk band Something Corporate, was thinking of a few things when he first formulated the idea for his solo project, Jack's Mannequin.
Released Aug. 23, "Everything in Transit" is a concept album that contains a main plot as well as an underlying storyline. McMahon weaves a tale concerning a boy, a girl and Venice Beach, Calif. Each song is assigned a chapter and the cover informs the listener what they are about to hear is a story. The song cycle concerns a broken relationship, a period of estrangement and finally, with the song "Made for Each Other," reconciliation.
Curiously, this isn't just a story: it is also McMahon's reality. After writing several songs during the period of time spent traveling and recording with Something Corporate, McMahon returned home feeling alienated from his former life and saddened by the end of a long, close relationship.
McMahon then decided to formulate a solo project, Jack's Mannequin, and used the best of his songs to eventually create "Everything in Transit."
Released on Maverick Records under producer Jim Wirt, McMahon received musical assistance from instrumentalist Patrick Warren and ex-Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. The talent and intelligence of Jack's Mannequin is being compared to McMahon's musical hero, Ben Folds. The maturation of McMahon is clear on this album. Wirt compares the poppy feel of Something Corporate's earlier music to the Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and considers Jack's Mannequin the beginning of McMahon's venture into more meaningful, "Eleanor Rigby" music.
The lead track, "Holiday from Real," expresses McMahon's alienating homecoming within its laid-back, Californian sound. "Mixed Tape" and "Bruised" begin the tale of a fast-fading relationship among catchy piano and interesting drum beats.
One of the best developed songs on the album would be "I'm Ready." Beginning with the ambiguous spoken line "And today was a day just like any other," McMahon's lyrics attempt to understand the focal relationship on the album. He sings of the capability to start a new day, but there is still an undertone of confusion and an inability to move on. In the midst of the song McMahon's spoken-word part only enhances the emotions conveyed.
Released Aug. 23, "Everything in Transit" is a concept album that contains a main plot as well as an underlying storyline. McMahon weaves a tale concerning a boy, a girl and Venice Beach, Calif. Each song is assigned a chapter and the cover informs the listener what they are about to hear is a story. The song cycle concerns a broken relationship, a period of estrangement and finally, with the song "Made for Each Other," reconciliation.
Curiously, this isn't just a story: it is also McMahon's reality. After writing several songs during the period of time spent traveling and recording with Something Corporate, McMahon returned home feeling alienated from his former life and saddened by the end of a long, close relationship.
McMahon then decided to formulate a solo project, Jack's Mannequin, and used the best of his songs to eventually create "Everything in Transit."
Released on Maverick Records under producer Jim Wirt, McMahon received musical assistance from instrumentalist Patrick Warren and ex-Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. The talent and intelligence of Jack's Mannequin is being compared to McMahon's musical hero, Ben Folds. The maturation of McMahon is clear on this album. Wirt compares the poppy feel of Something Corporate's earlier music to the Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and considers Jack's Mannequin the beginning of McMahon's venture into more meaningful, "Eleanor Rigby" music.
The lead track, "Holiday from Real," expresses McMahon's alienating homecoming within its laid-back, Californian sound. "Mixed Tape" and "Bruised" begin the tale of a fast-fading relationship among catchy piano and interesting drum beats.
One of the best developed songs on the album would be "I'm Ready." Beginning with the ambiguous spoken line "And today was a day just like any other," McMahon's lyrics attempt to understand the focal relationship on the album. He sings of the capability to start a new day, but there is still an undertone of confusion and an inability to move on. In the midst of the song McMahon's spoken-word part only enhances the emotions conveyed.