Local Exposure: Pycho Delicate The Jellybricks

Local Exposure
CD Reviews of Area Musicians

by Ed Yashinsky

Pycho Delicate
Love Songs for the Dysfunctional

In Central Pennsylvania, there are plenty of good bands that make their name based on their live music and plenty that survive on image (and a string of stale songs). Harrisburg’s Psycho Delicate doesn’t really fall into either of these categories, mainly because they rarely play live; which is unfortunate based on their debut CD, Love Songs for the Dysfunctional. Equal parts Frank Zappa, They Might Be Giants, new wave, surf music, and sideshow carnival, Love Songs for the Dysfunctional oozes from the slightly-warped and imaginative mind of bassist Mike Hoover. With vocals that recall vintage Joe Strummer (minus the years of cigarettes), Hoover slings hilarious observations at just about anyone in the way. Songs like “Stigmata,” “Art Magazines,” “Porno Movies,” “Drive-in Massacre,” and “She Melts in my Mouth,” display Hoover’s acid-wit. But Hoover is only part of the story on Love Songs for the Dysfunctional. Guitarist Tony Diecidue, drummer Chris Bair, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Strickler provide a perfect musical (and vocal) foil for Hoover with a sound that can best be described as post-modern with a healthy dose of humor. In the liner notes, Hoover mentions his love for bands that defy easy categorization. With Love Songs for the Dysfunctional, Psycho Delicate skates along the thin fissures of popular music while avoiding the annoyance of Top 40 radio. (Brain Child Records, 540 Ridgeview Dr., Harrisburg, PA 17112)

The Jellybricks
Soapopera

On their 1997 debut, Kinky Boot Beast, The Jellybricks proved that breakneck speed pared with infectious melodies and sticky-sweet harmonies still deserved a spot on the radio dial. In two years the Bricks have learned absolutely nothing, and if that’s not reason for celebration there never will be one. With Soapopera, The Jellybricks have not only made impressive songwriting strides, but they have saved a barrel full of their best hooks for this sophomore release. For fans hoping for more Kinky Boot Beast, several songs foot the bill (most notably “Mite” and “Prerequisite Rocker”), but Soapopera’s strength lies in the tempo mix that seemed lost on the heavy-adrenalized first record. Songs like “Too Far,” “Bittersweet Days,” and “So Many Times” ride a relaxed crest on drummer Laine Wehler and bassist Garrick Chow’s steady rhythm, while up-tempo numbers like “Speechless,” “Soapopera,” “Brand New Sunglasses,” and “Martyr” showcase Bryce Connor and Larry Kennedy’s dueling guitar mayhem. And while the melodies take center stage, Kennedy’s lead vocals (and the imaginative backing vocals) are head and shoulders over their first release. With Kinky Boot Beast, The Jellybricks set the bar pretty high; on Soapopera they’ve blown the roof off the damn building. (Rite-Off Records, 2033 Linglestown Road, Suite #350, Harrisburg, PA 17110)