An intimidating title to write about for a critic, this self-released debut EP from the NYC quintet is plenty charming, albeit short. “Quirky” is a word that seems to come up often in association with Jacksonknife, probably as the result of the difficulty to pigeonhole their brand of indie/folk/Americana. They have more in common with XTC and Barenaked Ladies than with the usual punk and art rock groups seemingly in such vogue to cite as influences these days. They are at their best on the softer side, as shown on such numbers as the beautifully sparse “Catholics.” The band formed out of the early songwriting and duo sessions led by Jeremy Kirkland, and this songwriting for a small group remains the strongest aspect of this record. The band now consists of Kirkland, Tom Rolsak, Brian Harney, Evan Johnson, and Noah Stitelman, all of whom perform their roles quite competently. As shown on tracks like the opener “Truthfully,” as well as on “Healthy Diets,” the band is quite capable of gelling and having a unique and interesting sound; more time and material should replace the quirky tag with something more substantially positive.
-- William Carey [July 7, 2008]
