Jonny Lives! sounds so much like Weezer, a friend passing by who heard this record playing stopped and asked where this new Weezer single could be found. Jonny Lives! claims classic groups like The Stooges and The Who as their progenitors, but they're not nearly as venerable. The band's radio-friendly power pop draws more from the pomp of Butch Walker and the singing style of Rivers Cuomo. The result is a sort of attenuated cock rock you'll enjoy for a while, but you won't be eager to go back.
Get Steady's energetic pace rarely slows down, serving up a number of enthusiastic rock songs with tried and true elements like hand claps, yells, and the usual lead singer grandstanding. Song titles range from the typical "Lost My Mind" and "Breaking Down" to the always fresh "Do It Again." Lyrics draw heavily from the established romantic party animal tradition. Throw in some reasonably talented guitar work and a sound-alike lead singer and it seems like you'd have a formula for success. Jonny Lives! has released a fairly impressive debut with Get Steady, but can't quite stomp out the creeping suspicion that you'd rather listen to the artists who inspired them.
