Cruel to Be Young

Cruel to Be Young

After a line-up shift, Jonezetta moves away from its ‘80s new wave obsessions toward a more reflective alt-rock sound on 2008’s Cruel to Be Young. With newly installed drummer Alex Warren and keyboardist Tyler Kemp on board, the band comes up with a pleasingly melodic, angst-tinged set reminiscent of Wilco, Weezer, and late-period Replacements. Singer Robert Chisolm still retains his teasing yelp, though tunes like “Paint & Picture” and “I Watched You, Out from Your Window” emphasize his more thoughtfully mature side. There’s a disquieting tinge to many of the tracks, with indirect references to the group’s Christian roots and their recent experiences on tour discernable amidst the ambiguous lyrics. “Sick In the Teeth” and “The Queen City Song” probe personal alienation and social decay, while the title track grapples with the paradoxes of growing older. Those who miss the brash swagger of the band’s debut will like the rambunctious power-pop thrust of “Busy Body,” but more typical of the album are sober, slow-moving numbers like “Wide Awake” and “Fur Coat (Roaming Like Animals).” Cruel to Be Young marks an artistic advancement for Jonezetta, and a sharp left turn.

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