Reviews We Like
Reviews of PopCanon's last and best CD d'art (TriTone Music, 1999) |
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 From ezine Interstate REVIEWER September 2002 |
[Neditor: OK, this is not a review of d'art, but a review of one of d'art's songs (Make Reference) that we gave to our pal Andy Wagner to put on his swell compilation of artists from The Losing Blueprint, his new label.]Independent labels planning on issuing compilations, please take note: "sounds" is plural here, indicating that Losing Blueprint Records hosts bands that don’t all make the same kind of music. This might seem self-evident, but far too many indie labels fail to include the variety demonstrated on "The Luxury Sounds of the Losing Blueprint." Compilations have a hard time standing up to albums on the shelves at record stores. Albums have all kinds of things to offer – thematic unity, focus and a full exploration of one artist or group’s ideas. One of the few advantages compilations have is variety. Obviously, if all the songs on a compilation sound the same, most listeners would probably rather have a regular album. That being said, it’s depressing how many indie compilations provide listeners with bands slavishly devoted to one narrow style of music. Today it’s emo-pop ala Jimmy Eat World or New Found Glory – tomorrow it could be anything, although my money is on electronic-beat indie modeled after Her Space Holiday and The Busy Signals. The Losing Blueprint Records, a young East Coast label, does a satisfactory job of avoiding this pitfall by including bands from various points of the indie map. Highlights include the innovative rhythms and softly insistent female vocals of The Method and Result, the pitch-perfect looming keyboard intro of Vaguely Star Shaped and the odd acoustics of Andrew Wagner. The best track on here is easily the horn-bristling PopCanon, whose song very cleverly references everyone from philosopher Willard Quine to rapper Will Smith. This compilation’s only major weakness is an over-reliance on mathy, vocal-less indie rock. This style isn’t bad by any means, but a third of the bands on this compilation are doing it, and it’s pretty hard to make seven-minute songs without vocals or hooks memorable. The Losing Blueprint has clearly put some thought into their label and this compilation, and it’s well worth the six bucks they’re asking for it. Recommended. Rating: 8580/10,000 [This review--even with its odd Dow Jones-like rating system--nicely offsets the one-line dismissal PC receives in a review from a recent Delusions of Adequacy, a zine that gave us a pretty OK review back in 2000 for d'art (below): "PopCanon's literate pop with horns has never impressed me, and Make Reference, though catchy, is more of the same."] |
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From ezine Audiosurge.com |
Neditor: A woman (presumably) under the name 'amandapanda' wrote a one-word review of the PopCanon CD in July 2001: 'Noooo'... and rated us 3 stars out of 10. An alert PC fan who goes by the name 'Mountain Kodiak' quickly sent in a rebuttal review/defense, which follows:User Reviews/Comments Rating: *********/* (9 stars out of 10) |
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From Milwaukee ezine
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PopCanon is a six-piece, Florida-based band with horns. They're very insistent that, despite the horns, they're not a ska band. And they're not a swing band either. In fact, they're correct on both counts: the closest musical approximation might be Zappa's mid-seventies bands (as on Zappa in New York). On their last release, The Kingdom of Idiot Rock, the band seemed a little too smug for its own good: too many songs seemed less like songs than framework around which the band draped hotshit playing and clever literary references. Here, fortunately, they've remembered to write songs, too--and the playing now seems to serve the music rather than the other way around. The band has forged its musicianship into a pingingly tight unit, and the wit similarly seems a bit more grounded in lyrics that, as Wittgenstein and the band say, 'make reference' rather than Horshack-like point toward a virtual APPLAUSE sign orbiting the lyricist's head. The unifying notion here is the visual (more or less as the first album worked primarily with the literary)--thus the title--but that pun implies also that pretense is to be skewered. It's a hard trick, poking pretense while referencing philosophers, artists, and critics literary and art historical, but it helps if the music sometimes allows your ass to make your brain forget what it's doing. Impossible, Arthole, Make Reference, and Mina Loy are all fine, punchy pop songs with edge, wit, and finely engineered playing, while Lights Out actually seems to invest a pinch of genuine emotion amongst the wit. A few songs near the middle of the disc drag a bit, but overall d'art is a major improvement over PopCanon's last release. |
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| From Illinois ezine Splendid Theodore Defosse June 2000 |
Voted Gainesville's best pop band (in a year which included the Brittle Stars' wonderful debut), it seems PopCanon has improved tremendously with d'art -- provided that the lyrics from their previous albums give adequate insight into their past. Based upon the lyrics on their website, PopCanon's prior songwriting suggests they were a band that simply wanted people to know who they read: Coover, Borges and Pynchon. Their lyrics didn't (and still don't) convey a postmodern influence -- they aren't overly self-referential, and don't sing about the songs they're singing; you merely learn their preferences in reading material. And no matter how good their early output might have sounded, I think the lyrics would prove offputting enough to displease even the above-cited writers' publicists. [Neditor: Well, I don't think there are SO many songs written about any of JL Borges' works that his publicist (!) would be offput (in fact, the official website rather likes us), but anyway, we do have a few songs that ARE clearly self-referential. The PopCanon Fight Song and Merimble explicitly speak of the band and 'this song'; Impossible mentions its own difficulty in rhyming the word 'orange'; and Make Reference explicitly talks about 'this song' charting via the help of famed rhetorician Richard Rorty. Also the entire song Ironica seems to me to be performed under quotes, with every word and note a citation from somewhere else...but I quibble. This review is swell, and I'm thrilled at the upcoming reference to Randy Newman, even though I think it wrongly dismisses the irony of ArtHole and Rednecks.]With d'art, PopCanon seem to work their literary obsessions more subtly into the mix, as well as displaying a genuine affection for popular music. While they sometimes fall on their faces -- Arthole is written in the ironic vein of Randy Newman's Rednecks, and shows them vastly inferior at satire -- PopCanon seems to succeed more often than not. And since their ambitions favor rich, Zappa-like productions, their personal successes (like I've Got a Theory, CaliMariAchi, Lights Out and Hey Hey Hey), when they happen, are high on the scale of greatness. Few groups are able to meld ska, surf, jazz and even spoken-word raps (as in Ironica, a middling track that scores with me when they force a line to rhyme with 'euphemism') into their songs, but PopCanon and their terrific horn section do it with ease. A critic once said that John Barth earned the right to his postmodernist flights by previously having written great realist fiction (A Floating Opera and The End of The Road). Adopting this perspective, d'art earns PopCanon the rights to create the deconstructionist pop they prefer, by proving they can make pure pop gems (CaliMariAchi, especially) that are as stimulating as their wilder, more challenging musical journeys (See You). Should they continue to place primary focus on all of their musical gifts, PopCanon will one day produce an album so unique and rewarding that critics will defy logic and call it 'instantly seminal'. Here's hoping they actually do manage to put a dent into the framework of today's pop nation. [Good gravy! When did anyone ever like CaliMariAchi so much?
That's fantastic!
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From Rochester NY ezine |
A few months back, I went back to DC and went with a friend to a local church where Piebald and a few local hardcore bands were to be playing. Piebald, apparently, saw the venue and turned around, so the headlining act was something completely different. With horns, two percussionists, two drummers, a guitarist and more, this band belted out a combination of punk rock, 60's swing, ska rhythm and half a dozen other things. The crowd, ready for something hard and rocking, were pretty much stunned. And that's the reaction I think most people have to PopCanon. It's hard to listen to this album with expectations. The band describes themselves as a '6piece nonska band with horns, attitude and a Master's degree in English.' Combining horns, tight guitars and about six vocalists, this band is all about playing a hybrid of a little of everything. I can still hear the Mighty Mighty Bosstones kids calling this ska imitation, but it's more than that, perhaps a bit too much for its own good. But really, this is all about that kind of music - wild and gregarious party music. Not the kind of stuff you would play when you had a party, but the kind of stuff that sounds like a party is going on in the background when you're listening to it. Things About Which, for example, has just about ever member singing, sometimes backing vocals, sometimes not, all accompanied by a sort of riotous fury. Impossible is a bit more restrained, and the horns fit here perfectly, even though many will say that chugga-chugga guitar and drums is quite skalike. Don't think these guys are talented? Just listen to that tight groove and those perfect horns on See You, the album's standout track. Don't think these guys are witty, just listen to the lyrics on the abrasive Arthole. Don't think these guys are intelligent, just pick up the references to Heidegger, Wittgenstein and the Fresh Prince in Make Reference. Don't think these guys are fun, just listen to the Dance Hall Crashers-esque Mina Loy. Don't think they can swing, just catch the grooves in Owed to a Weasel. And from all this positive talk, don't think they can play a bad song? Just listen to the off-kilter horns and damn accordion (wince) in Hey Hey Hey and the faux-rap on the unusual Ironica, which is at least redeemed by some great horns. But the album finishes off with the soft and sly Lights Out and a six-plus minute instrumental that shows how talented this band actually is. Put some vocals to this style of more rock-influenced music, and they'll likely sway even more fans. Ok, so this is not a rock band. If anything, they're a throwback swinging pop band with punk energy and clever, off-center lyrics. Sound like something you'll like? For a lot of people, maybe not. But this is infectious. While the songs could probably benefit from a tighter rein and some better production, I still think this is fun stuff. It's like being invited to their own party, and they're bring the chips, cheap booze, smokes and horns. |
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From Salt Lake City ezine Bryan Baker June 2000 |
This one comes out of the gate immediately with solid hooks wrapped up in jeering horn section. True to their name, PopCanon fires an explosive mix of music straight at you. A mesh of jazz and bebop, ragtime and dixie, artrock and progressive, psychedelic and maybe bluegrass (if you can stretch as much as the band can). You never know what's coming up behind you. Fresh, highly recommended stuff. | ||
| From German radio icon Lord Litter's TapeDepartment RadioShow June 2000 |
CD OF THE MONTH: ...received quite some releases this month that were in *danger* of becoming this month's CD ... but then it was simply too obvious: PopCanon's mixture is simply too unique to be ignored. Influences may be defined as from Rock-A-Billy to Free Jazz, but there's not one song of each category, no they put it all into ONE song ! ... presented by ultra precise playin' musicians ... band includes *horn section* ... cool background vox ... I guess Frank Zappa would've loved this band ... no, no they don't sound like Zappa at all, it's *just* this approach to *dare everything* - out comes a real 100% unique band ... is this *free jazz pop rock* ??? Ultra unique band !!! ... their first CD already was a killer ... this new one is 100 times better ! This is true independence !! | ||
From Gainesville FL music ezine B. Smith May 2000 |
PopCanon's new release d'art maintains the offbeat edge of their debut recording The Kingdom of Idiot Rock, yet exhibits the band's evolution to a more experienced and more unified sound. Dizzyingly eclectic, the most consistent aspect of the songs is the energetic horns (which sound nothing like ska). The six-piece PopCanon is akin to an author who makes sculptures out of his manuscripts--it doesn't quite make sense but that's not what matters. They are overly qualified for the position of rock band with lyrics that generally entertain and confound. At times didactically universal and at times impossibly specific and obscure, PopCanon make intellectual quips mocking the pretense of intellectuals. Despite logic to the contrary, the eccentric music and unconventional lyrics manage to mix well. And hey, how many records do you own that improve your vocabulary? Standouts on the album include the more catchy numbers like 'Things About Which' and 'See You'. Less annoying and more avant-garde, d'art is catchy, chaotic and grammatically correct. |
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| From Tampa FL music mag Focus/Eatmag Richard Proplesch March 2000 |
PopCanon d'art (14-track CD, recorded at The Sound Refinery and Mirror Image, Gainesville, produced by Mike Rotolante & PopCanon; 47:37) A quick peek at this band's bio proves that, despite word of mouth recommendations and web-wide access to information, there are still bands that confound us critics. Proving once again that we (ta-da!) know nothing (which, by the way, is also really close to what we're paid for the chore!). Most of our pundit chums have cited this wacky Gainesville group for splintering the bountiful alt pop framework with a brainy, zany humor, a faultless technique and convoluted songwriting that usually sparks quick 'n' easy references to XTC and Frank Zappa. Sigh. A shame that our pen pals aren't a little more Continental-oriented, since PopCanon also share a wicked sense of talents and philosophy with bands like Von Zamla and The Ex, whose intentions are to skewer and subvert pop musick from within. Music theories aside, PopCanon are probably the only Florida group with enough chops to seriously attempt highly-stylized swing parodies (which prompts all the early Mothers' referrals), but then turn around for some John Zorn-ish game playing and free-for-all improvisations. But it's also music to be enjoyed on lots of levels: either taken as clever pop fluff that includes metaphorical lyrics, as well as intense arrangements that will envelop you the deeper you delve. You don't have to be crazy to like them, but what could it hurt? Highly recommended. |
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From FL music mag |
It's not often you find a
CD where an intentionally-dangled preposition appears just so the lyric
can correct it in the next breath. Or a love song in which all one's possessions
are stored in a shed because potential inlaws don't realize the protagonist
and his S.O. are living together. Or a song where a potential mother-in-law
calls the cops on the protagonist, or where the protagonist ends up running
down a road naked. And only on a PopCanon CD could this
all happen in the first song alone.
For the uninitiated, PopCanon are the Gainesville avant-pop sextet whose ability to mix odd time-signatures, wildly different styles, obscure literary references and dadaist humor is pretty much unsurpassed. This 14-song, self-produced (along with Mike Rotolante at Gainesville's Mirror Image Studios) CD is the follow-up to 1997's The Kingdom of Idiot Rock, and includes ruminations on the artist as fundamental orifice and on religion, a five-minute instrumental semi-psychedelic rave-up and a couple tracks that could almost pass (if you weren't paying attention) for ballad-y love songs. And even though the CD contains a song that sounds rather ska-ish, remember: PopCanon is not a ska band! |
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From Athens GA mag
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[Neditor: under the Clubs Listing in this same issue of Flagpole it said: PopCanon (Caledonia) Six-piece pop-rock band from Gainesville, FL. Featuring the antics of "Wild" Ned Davis. For the record, I have been called many things, but NEVER "Wild" Ned--Ballard, you are a funny, funny man.]Don't try to get a handle on PopCanon - it's damn near impossible. Just when you think you have a good idea of what this Gainesville, FL sextet is all about musically, it completely shifts gears and leaves you in the dust scratching your head. But that's a good thing, of course, and the self-proclaimed 'Kings Of Idiot Rock' strut their considerable stuff on the band's second album with prodigious instrumental skills, off-the-wall lyrical flights of fancy and time changes that'd make Zappa wince. It's that last little bit that makes d'art specifically - and PopCanon as a whole - a bit easier to swallow. A lesser band would fall flat on its collective face if it tried this stuff. Guitarist Ned Davis whips out some serious licks and the rhythm section of bassist Michael Murphy and drummer Robby Copeland keeps things ground and swinging despite some considerable monkey business going on. The band shifts easily from high-octane klezmer with Hey Hey Hey and faux swing evangelism on Ballyhoo to saxophonist Don Undeen's Prince-style swagger tune Ironica. There's even a bit of Beatles-esque pop with Lights Out. Lyrically, PopCanon is both off-the-wall and on-target, skewering bourgeoisie snootiness in Arthole (with the excellent chorus "I'm an artist and you're an asshole") and the incredibly clever Make Reference. Throughout the record there's a sense of fun-loving whimsy, as if the band knows it better not take itself too seriously. Like the band itself, d'art isn't a record that's instantly accessible the first go 'round, but by that second or third try it's pretty damn rewarding. Check it out--just find something solid to hold onto. |
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| From Mp3Reviews.com RazoR February 2000 |
[Concerning the single Arthole:]So you take youself seriously huh? Workin' on your latest masterpiece? Well listen to this ditty about artist attitudes in this Psycho-Alt-Nightmare! Great screwed up sax and trumpet solos over a cool beat with Cake-like vocals and funny as hell lyrics. This will knock ya off yer chair! |
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| From InSite Magazine J.P. Maggio January 2000 |
As soon as most people see a band with horns, they assume the band plays ska. Well, PopCanon has horns, but they could not possibly be farther from ska. In fact, people are not really sure what type of music they play. In recent months they have been listed in different 'best of' polls as a pop band, a ska band, a punk band, a funk band, even a cover band (though they mostly play originals). In truth, PopCanon is all those things and more. D'art is PC's second full-length CD release and it is an amazing improvement over their enjoyable debut The Kingdom of Idiot Rock. The new album is a more successful blend of accessible pop (mostly by chief singer David Hornbuckle) with crazy, intricate rhythmic and musical ideas (courtesy of the talented band). PopCanon has one of the best abilities to organize complex arrangements that I have ever heard. On the 'Nico-meets-John Zorn-meets-1960s gogo music' tune Mina Loy, which probably has the best music of any song on the album, PC moves from one interesting rhythm to another without sacrificing the essentials of the song, or testing the listener's patience. Yet PC is not restricted to musical esotericism; when they play it relatively straight (Things About Which, the chorus of See You, Lights Out), the results are glorious. However, despite its strengths, the album is not perfect. The lyrics often try too hard to be clever (the way-too-witty Impossible and history-lesson Mina Loy). Also, some songs seem designed to show off the band's musical prowess (the battle-chant HeyHeyHey and the 'Earth Wind & Fire plays Rush and ELO' prog-rock number The Composition: BrainStröll). And, though I love the lyrical whimsy of CaliMariAchi, I must admit I still don't fully understand the implications of the music. [Neditor: Jay, call me and I'll parse the implications of the final Gmaj9#11 chord for you...] Yet these are minor criticisms; and PC keeps even the weakest moments interesting with their constant inventiveness. To my ears the two best songs are the 'Stevie Wonder wrestles with Beck' number Ironica and the 'Todd Rundgren sings for the Beach Boys' tune Lights Out. On the bridge to Lights Out the voice and band soar to an amazingly lovely moment of pure melody (amplified by a subtle horn arrangement, McCartney-esque bass, and a beautifully simple guitar solo). And even though I have heard the album repeatedly, when they get to the part about "carrying a torch", it breaks my heart every time. If you like accessible pop songs, buy d'art. If you like extremely proficient technical playing, buy d'art. If you like faux-swing songs about faith versus reason, buy d'art. If you have even heard of Richard Rorty, buy d'art. Hell, if you like cool music at all, go out and buy PopCanon's new album d'art. |
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From Moon Magazine's |
The Idiot Kings (and Queen) are back with their patented boogie disease: call it Romper Roomerism. They got it bad and that's good. This time around, the TMBG/XTC-tics are fleshed out with Fab4 whimsy and more time changes than Zappa at his surliest. From The Artist/'SexyMF'-era swagger of Ironica, the Preservation Hall hullaballoo of Ballyhoo, the pocket-protector workout of See You, Don Undeen's four-second Dolphy-morph on HeyHeyHey, the melancholic Lights Out to the nutty instrumental Brainstroll, PC's never sounded better. They still piss you off: any band that couples 'peachy' with Nietzsche needs to be spanked. The rest of D'art needs to be applauded: it's an embarrassment of riches. |
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Reviews of our debut CD The Kingdom of Idiot Rock (1997) |
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From
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[Neditor: These reviews are from a fantastic website (which calls PopCanon 'practically our house band') devoted to the works of James Joyce, Jorge Luis Borges, Thomas Pynchon, Umberto Eco, Franz Kafka, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and others. Each section includes a diverse list of artists and musicians like us who have been influenced by these writers.] Phish covering They Might be Giants; X collide with XTC;
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones in a bar brawl with Camper Van Beethoven;
these are only vague pointers towards a decription of PopCanon's sound.
An unsigned band hailing from Gainesville Florida, PopCanon have carved
a niche all their own, with offbeat elements of jazz,
ska, klezmer and country spicing an already tasty brew of
muscular pop rhythms, bizarre time signatures and clever college-radio
hooks. Eclecticism seems to be their watchword, and their
lyrics reflect this as well, covering a wide range of unusual subjects
that include semantics, astral projection, sexual positions, and postmodern
literature. Indeed, their first CD The Kingdom of Idiot Rock contains
songs built around the likes of Borges, Pynchon, Derrida, Coover, Descartes,
Joyce and Eco. |
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From The Libyrinth's
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We share the Jorge Luis Borges section with the mighty Astor Piazzolla, Tango Tzar of Buenos Aires.Labyrinths |
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From The Libyrinth's
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The Umberto Eco section has info only on us and Robert Wilson's millennial blend of theater, music, and text The Days Before.Treasure of the Temple |
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From The Libyrinth's
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Pomes Penyeach is part of the Libyrinth's James Joyce section. Other artists and bands included here are the Beatles, Kate Bush, King Crimson, Dream Theater, the Pogues, R.E.M., Foetus and Sonic Youth.Bloomsday |
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From The Libyrinth's
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The Thomas Pynchon section has bits on Laurie Anderson, Lotion, Nirvana and Radiohead. Take the lyrical inventiveness
of They Might Be Giants and mix it with the rollicking ska sound of The
Mighty Mighty Bosstones, add a decidedly klezmer edge,
or maybe the country twang of Camper Van Beethoven,
and you might be able to approximate the sound of the Gainesville FL ensemble
called PopCanon. This band includes the alumni of orchestras and jazz
bands, but on this CD they definitely chart their own course. |
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From |
[Neditor: This review is undated, but was (very) roughly translated in early 2000--the errors are all ours. UPDATE: someone did a better translation! There on the right >] NEW ROCK OPERA -- When my girlfriend heard part of Fishbee
Island for the first time, by the band PopCanon, she asked me if they
were the Muppet Show. PopCanon is ultimate fun, barbeque
party group of students in a B-film, which gets turned around in horror
in which a mad (crazy) student kills his colleagues (friends), because
his steak was not well done. Fun is almost as good as the one on
the Dead Kennedy's tribute album. |
[Neditor: Hey! Somebody sent us some new translations! Thanks to Michael from Atlanta's Big Fish Ensemble--well, thanks to his Serbian-translating mom] NEW ROCK OPERA -- When my girlfriend
heard the number Fishbee Island by the band PopCanon for the first
time, she asked me if they were the sheep from the Muppet show. The PopCanon
is the ultimate fun event, barbecue, student B group film party production,
that turns into a horror show when an out-of-control student kills his
class mates because his steak wasn't grilled just right. The party equals
the one on the tribute album Dead Kennedys. |
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From |
THE KINGDOM OF IDIOT ROCK: As much I listen
to this album, that much I like it. Important fact is that this is a
band of a man who, in some way, I know--with this comment, I didn't say
'very interesting'. From Gainesville, in Florida (where Red Star Belgrade
is from), this band makes traditional music. No, the group isn't one Indian,
one Serb ... etc, their showman's sound is based on a million tiny parts
which make a sum that is accessible to every ear. Beside main 'rock tools' this band uses sax (great Don Undeen), trombone, trumpet, piano and violins. We can say there are different genres here--from powerpop a la Weezer, and cheerful combination of Primus, which play songs of Meat Puppets, to rhapsodies in which he laughs to AOR music. With all that there is a bit of humor, to provincial surrounding. The Kingdom of Idiot Rock is a perfect title for this album. These words may sound a little too much, but I won't stop. Try to imagine a crash with the Pixes (circa Surfer Rosa) and a bluegrass musician's truck: that is the sound of PopCanon. Shown on MTV Music awards and about a million dollars invested here would assure you about the qualities of this group. Till then, believe me about this... **** (4 stars out of 5) |
THE KINGDOM OF IDIOT ROCK: The more I listen
to this album the more I like it. The essential fact is that we are
talking about a band of a man that, in a specific way, I know, and beyond
all expectations have critiqued with the likable comment as 'very amusing'.
Originally from Gainesville, Florida (the homeland of Red Star Belgrade),
this multi-membered band is making international music. No, the group is
not what it is because of an Indian and a Serb, etc... but it is their
showman-like sound that taps into the sea, minute parts that make the universe
accessible to every ear. Besides the elemental rock-tools--the band, vocalists and saxophone (the excellent Don Undeen)--trombone, tuba, the piano and violins. The music style oscillates between power pop a la Weezer, over the cheerful combination of Primus that play songs Meat Puppets, and the cacophonic rhapsodies in which smiles the legacy of the music of AOR. With all that there is a humor, like a fruit of a really naive and innocent cynicism directed toward the circles of the petit bourgeoisie. The Kingdom Of Idiot Rock is an excellent choice of title for this CD. Even though all of these requirements might sound pretentious, I have no intention of stopping. Try to imagine a collision between the Pixies (circa Surfer Rosa) and a truck of bluegrass musicians. The schizophrenic and eruptive sound of PopCanon can be viewed exactly like this. A proof of this can be seen in the awarding of the MTV prize and the almost million dollars invested in the advertisement of this CD. Until then you will have to trust me. **** (4 stars out of 5) |
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| From Auburn AL's Express Magazine Trey Lane February 1999 |
I didn't know quite what to expect with this
album. With a title like The Kingdom of Idiot Rock one could
easily be put off. First and foremost, I was amazed by this group's
capacity for diversity. The album begins with some white-boy funk
with the emphasis on the F-U-N, and catchy hooks that felt like children's
music (or Too Much Joy). With their instrumentatal lineup of guitar,
piano, bass, vocals, drums, trombone, cornet, tuba, saxophone and violin,
this collective has no trouble treading territory most similar to Frank
Zappa at an orgy, snorting clorox in the bathroom with Fishbone, Primus
and Phish (well, a rather large bathroom...). PopCanon revels in catchy, quirky gems and I feel certain that if 'The Dukes of Hazzard' was an indie pop band, it would sound not unlike this band. Often jazzy and always solid, they suggest the best elements of ska, while decidedly not being a ska band. PopCanon evoke the spirit of unwritten musicals, escapism without pretension, and most importantly, the feeling that they really have a great time doing what they do. Perfect music for a fun night out... |
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| From Orlando ezine The Fritz volume 4 #4 Aaron Gustafson December 1998 |
This Gainesville band is definitely a little different than you'd expect from the home of For Squirrels/Subrosa, Sister Hazel and Noah's Red Tattoo. PopCanon are a rock band with a slight twist. The best way to describe them would be to avoid describing music all together. Imagine normal, basic lipton iced tea is rock. If you add fruit flavoring like mango, you've got what PopCanon are doing. Aside from playing the traditional rock instruments, this band also performs on piano, trombone, coronet, tuba, saxophones and violins. A good live match would be a band like thinking fellers union local 282, babe the blue ox or ajo. All 15 songs on this cd are pretty spectacular, making this the best darn mango iced tea i've ever had. | ||
| From music ezine @NZone Ben Ohmart October 1998 |
So Frank Zappa came back in 6 or 7 bodies. It's great to know there IS something after death! As soon as I heard the first opening sounds of Ice on the Sidewalk I knew I was in the presence of freakiness. Would you call this progressive comedy rock? Feel good sunshine turmoil sponge music, soaking up musical influences and lyrical references like a whore in a bookstore? Well, Idiot Rock is a great name for something so Fun! Bloomsday rocks with lyrics I wish I could see on the inside of my head. The Curse of Clang is a warning to anyone who doesn't believe in the god Zappa and who doesn't think rock musicians should Ever Smile. Slipping back on Ice on the Sidewalk it actually took me a few riffs to discover wind instruments hiding behind the sharky guitar. I like that! This is blue sky with the top down music, my friends. If you want to know where mixed genre music is headed into near years, it's PopCanon. And it's pissed on grape Kool-Aid. Send $12 to PopCanon, POB 14872, Gainesville, FL 32604 and help prevent tooth decay. | ||
| From German radio icon
Lord Litter's TapeDepartment RadioShow 31 August 1998 |
LORD LITTER'S TOP RELEASES PopCanon: The Kingdom of Idiot Rock - CD (TriTone Management, USA) Absolutely no idea how to describe this .... very very seldom bands are able to create a sound that you really can't compare. PopCanon is definitely such a band! Creating their own universe of sound the band takes influences from rock, jazz, comedy, chaos, controlled songwriting, folk ... and much more. Probably the instruments will give you an idea: 12string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 5string fretless bass, lefthanded played drums, piano, trombone, tuba, cornet, saxophones, violin ... everyone interested in truly unique music of high quality must get this CD, otherwise you'll miss one of the best releases I've heard from a non-describable genre !!! |
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| From Pensacola music/culture zine It's The Music, Stupid! #7 John Guerin Summer '98 |
PopCanon is a very tough
band to pigeonhole. Much as I hate to admit it, as a writer,
you try to pigeonhole bands. Not because you believe in squeezing
bands into categories (radio already does too much of that), but you have
to give the reader SOME idea of what they're reading about. As for
PopCanon, I don't know. Offbeat? Quirky?
Sure. The reference to idiot rock fits. They can be pretty
goofy. But as you listen, it gets less goofy as elements
of jazz and even 1920's pop (Valentine's Day, Fishbee Island)
kick in. The CD seems to hit its stride as it
progresses beyond the sillier early cuts (like the first, the PopCanon
Fight Song). The never take themselves too seriously, though.
Merimble has a jumpy, upbeat guitar that's pretty dance-y.
Bloomsday makes good use of violin and brass, imparting a Camper
Van Beethoven feel. Labyrinths is very hep, Daddy-O!
Actually it's pretty straightforward modern jazz. They
rock out on Treasure of the Temple and Robert Coover.
The instrumentation's fairly unique. In addition to the 'rock triumvirate' (gtr/bs/dr), we also hear cornet, trombone, tuba, violin, sax and piano. Fans of Miami's Jongleurs or New Orleans bands like FSQ, Neslort and the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars would probably get into this. Some of the cuts sound like Joe Jackson gone loopy, and they get a little too cute for their own good sometimes (lyrics like 'Pol Pot Pie'). [Neditor: Dude, that's the name of Clang's album!] Live, they seem to rock a little more and are great fun (the instrumentation alone provides for a different night out). While PopCanon might be an acquired taste, they're definitely not your usual touring band. |
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| From Salt Lake City ezine Bryan Baker 30 June 1998 |
You might pretty much guess what this sounds like just from the title; and while they're cleaving pretty firmly to the They Might Be Giants style and approach (maybe even Camper Van Beethoven), PopCanon have plenty enough quirky, irreverent fun of their own; plus this seven piece throws in an instrumental arsenal to blow the house down (or at least blurp and bleet it to kingdom come). | ||
From Virginia culture 'zine  Phil Ford Spring 1998 |
Quite a nice band here! All over the genre place, this Florida band should find the fans of the Jongleurs and Friendly, then bop them on the head and say 'Look here!' Pop-induced zaniness that sounds like Jethro Tull cryogenically frozen then defrosted to modern times one instant, then erupts into a horn-soaked breakdown of modernized 'ska' decapitated tunes the next. Vocals are as silly and seriously sung as if they were on the Titanic soundtrack. This band is out to have a good time and they prove it on this CD. | ||
From the ezine  Joe Kolk April 1998 |
This is not really idiot rock as the contends,
but could be better described as college geek rock. Don't let the term 'College
geek rock' scare you as sounding like it is music that only 1% of the whole
world will like. This actually describes bands such as The Barenaked Ladies
and possibly Robyn Hitchcock. It is upbeat music and with
lyrics that are both intelligent and fun. PopCanon is a big band composed of two guitarist/vocalists, a bass, drums, trombone, violin, and sax, and make just about as much noise as any non-ska half-orchestra could make, which, in this case, is a lot. The only way to really describe their music is to say that it is pop music that is unexpected. For further information on what I mean by this, buy the disc yourself. You won't be saddened to find feisty songs about crucified punks and James Joyce (Bloomsday), tributes to Primus (Codename: Snossage), PopCanon's rise to glory (The PopCanon Fight Song), and a track about Thomas Pynchon's alter ego Wanda Tinasky (Wanda Tinasky). PopCanon is big fun at a small price. But then what more can be said about a band that double as the orchestra for the University of Florida production of Jesus Christ Superstar? [rating: 6 out of 10] |
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| From Vancouver's Music Magazine  Darren Kerr 7 March 1998 |
Gainesville, Florida's PopCanon
combine the eccentric literate weirdness of the Soft Boys with the instrumental
thuggery of Primus or Babe the Blue Ox and come up with something that is,
on occasion, too damn clever for its own good. This is what happens to high school fusion bands when they graduate with diplomas in bizarre tempo changes, Martian scales and extra-curricular chemical analysis. The bass is burby [sic?], the violins battle with the horn section, the guitars chime and clang, and the vocalists sing of Thomas Pynchon (Wanda Tinasky), Descartes (René René), Jorge Luis Borges (Labyrinths) and Umberto Eco (Treasure of the Temple). But before you think you have to have a doctorate in literature to get into PopCanon, there's also the tale of a guy whose girlfriend's brother is in love with him (Valentine's Day) and the PopCanon Fight Song, in which the vocalists spell out the band's name and sing their own praises. I applaud PopCanon for not playing according to Hoyle on The Kingdom of Idiot Rock. If quirky is what you look for in your pop music, then this is for you. |
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| From the ezine Focus/Eatmag Bob Pomeroy March 1998 |
The Kingdom of Idiot Rock is where
PopCanon live. It's a sprawling mess of pop art flotsam and
musical jetsam. It's sometimes very appealing and at other times
a head scratching mess. It's a klezmer band filling in for
a Top 40 band at the VFW hall. It's a ska band trying to blend in at a bluegrass
festival. It's weird, goofy stuff. Two songs really stand out for me. Valentine's Day gets romance all blurry when the singer learns 'On Valentine's Day your brother told me he was gay and he loved me more than I could ever love you.' [sic] The singer thinks this is a neat thing and proposes a menage! Kinky! The other tune that catches my attention is The Curse of Clang, which is all about the Tampa based band. You'll learn all about Clang, Cory, Paul and Rockboy. These are fun songs. |
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| From the punk 'zine Elimination by Jason January/February 1998 |
Idiot Rock, or at least that's what they call it. It's quite the odd music either way. It's got a gigantic ska sound, more in the vein of new ska, but also a hardhitting The Big Eighties style. It makes you think, Hey! I think this is an acquired taste, but it's really weird. It kind of reminds me of Pink Floyd for some reason--say Roger Waters had a baby with Gwen Stefani, that kinda deal. It even has violins and every variation of a tuba you could imagine. It's surely something to check out--some of it is really slower [!]. It's just very weird. | ||
From online music 'zine  Eric Hultgren February 1998 |
Warning: This disc is very
good. In fact, it kicks ass. So, under no circumstances should you
listen to this if you have ever thought Janet Reno was hot, or have ever
wanted an Ant Farm more than a Playstation. 181.4 has removed all responsibility
from ourselves, our sponsors, and our lawyers if anything bad happens to
you while listening to the disc, seeing their show, or reading this review.
Thank you. PopCanon is a phenomenal ska band from the alligator country of Gainesville Florida that could very easily take the country by storm in a time when ska is as hot as Bill Clinton's zipper at a college rally. They have a musical formula, they have a great image, and most importantly, they have played a gig at a pizza parlor... instant success. I can barely contain myself enough to write this review. Tracks like the warm-up tune to this skarobics class, PopCanon Fight Song, Wanda Tinasky, Too Many Mikes and my fav of all time, Codename:Snossage could not be better executed if they were written by Madness and performed by the Skatalites! I will only say this once, you are cheating yourself if you do not buy this disc. David, Ned, Michael, Blue Lang, Alyson, Don, and Lorien have taken the time and effort to put together some of the greatest ska songs I have heard this decade. You owe it to yourself to listen! [Neditor: thanks a lot, guy, but...um...we're not hardly ska at all.] |
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| From the Tampa Tribune Curtis Ross 30 January 1998 |
This Gainesville septet includes
alumni of orchestras and jazz bands. Fortunately, it doesn't get in the
way. PopCanon would rather get a laugh than show off its chops. Of course if it can do both at the same time, all the better. This is smart-alec pop that doesn't skimp on the smarts. Or the alecs. The interplay of guitars, violin and horns is witty but disciplined. The disc starts with a brief band history (PopCanon Fight Song), ends with a salute to one of Tampa's finest (The Curse of Clang) and middles with the likes of Wanda Tinasky and Codename: Snossage. Solid, strange and snotty. rating: *** (three out of four stars) |
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| From InSite Magazine Gary Geniesse January 1998
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Starting to think that every band from
Gainesville, Florida sounds like the Big White Sister Squirrels? Think
again! Enter PopCanon: an unusual pop rock band that puts Gainesville,
Florida square in the center of The Kingdom of Idiot Rock. The songs
on their new 15-track CD run the length and the breadth of this kingdom
where they proudly call themselves the court jesters. If you haven't seen PopCanon live (or didn't see them when they were known as The Semantics), then this CD is an excellent primer. Listening to it in the privacy of your own space gives you some time to appreciate the lyrical craftsmanship that goes into their songs. Or, if you're not in the mood for anything that heavy, the CD also makes for great drinking games. You can play 'Name that Squonky Tone', 'Guess that Time-Signature' and even 'Who's that Philosopher?'. The serious truth is, it will pop you on so many different levels, your head won't know when to bang. The songs hit every type of type of musical style with a bizarre range of themes. There's rocking tales of post-modern authors like Thomas Pynchon (Wanda Tinasky) and Robert Coover, along with quieter tributes to mathematician Rene Descartes (Rene’ Rene’) and author Jorge Luis Borges (Labyrinths). [Should I be ashamed that I don't know who most of these people are?] There are staggering acknowledgments to the sounds of regional bands (Merimble, The Curse of Clang). [Ditto.] And rollicking tales of dolphins (Fishbee Island), threesomes (Valentine's Day), and their own strange pop stylings (PopCanon Fight Song and Too Many Mikes). Do I recommend it? If you're easily offended by sarcasm, NO. To get on this ride, you must be at least this tall and not be offended by lines like 'on Valentine's Day, your brother told me he was gay and he loves me more than I love you' (from Valentine's Day) or 'you say you sold your soul to the devil, I'd like to see your receipt' (from Codename: Snossage). The sounds that emanate from this jetset-septet include everything that makes rock good: acoustic guitar (David Hornbuckle), electric guitar (Ned Davis), insane drums (Blue Lang), fretless bass (Michael Murphy), plus saxophone (Don Undeen), trombone (Alyson Carrel), violin (Lorien Carsey), jazz piano (Ned again), cornet (Alyson again), and even an occasional tuba (even more Alyson). David and Ned share most of the singing duties (often at the same time) and if you listen closely, you may even hear Satan himself. The amazing thing is the complexity of their arrangements. Instead of playing songs in easy 1..2..3..4..1..2..3..4.. time, they make their music even more interesting by playing it in counts of 5, 7, 9, and even 11 (also sometimes at the same time). If you had trouble singing the alphabet song, this stuff might be too advanced for you. So who do I recommend it to? If you enjoy early new-wave brit-pop like XTC, Squeeze or Robyn Hitchcock, you already worship at the same temple - go buy the CD now. If you enjoy Clang, Primus, They Might Be Giants or early Talking Heads, then PopCanon is like the girl next door - encourage your friends to buy the CD and then steal it from them when they're out of town. If you've never heard of any of these bands, go see PopCanon live for a crash course in being entertained. Then go buy the CD. Not sure where to get it? The Kingdom of Idiot Rock is supposedly available in record stores and other establishments throughout their home town of Gainesville. You can also order it directly from the band by visiting their web site at http://web.popcanon.com/ or sending $10 in a check made out to Alyson Carrel to: PopCanon, POB 14872, Gainesville, FL 32604. It's also available at their shows and from your best friend's CD collection. |
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From music review zine  January 1998 |
Category: independent release, progressive pop. Interesting. This Gainesville, Florida band plays offbeat progressive pop music that sounds something like a cross between Frank Zappa and Primus...but they're actually a bit more diverse than either. The band has an odd lineup: a saxophone player wearing women's underwear, a female trombone player, a violinist...along with the traditional guitar/bass/drums setup. This band isn't following the usual trends by playing noisy alternative rock, power pop or whatever; instead, they're off in their own unique territory...and from the sounds of this disc, it sounds like they're having big fun in the process. |
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| From Moon
Magazine's Music Scale Jim Doherty 5 Nov 97 |
If you've seen them, then you know what
to expect. If not, buy the CD and then go to the next show to shout out
for your favorite track. This band is smart, funny, occasionally
chaotic and musically adept when it comes to memorable popsong constructions.
The comparisons all fall in the school of clever, thoughtful pop bands like XTC, Squeeze, REM, the dB's and Clang, with primary songwriters Ned Davis and David Hornbuckle showing off their influences. PopCanon also shows a penchant for literary references (James Joyce, Borges, Pynchon and Robert Coover are all mentioned), convoluted Lewis Carroll-like storytelling (see Fishbee Island), beautiful and delicate playing by the orchestral part of the band (listen to the intro of Rene' Rene' and weep), and traces of the infectious goofiness that highlighted the band's early sets (old favorite Valentine's Day made it to the CD). This is the result of a long year of painstaking work, and the band should be proud they did it right. The CD captures many of the qualities that have made their live shows one of the highlights of our scene. |
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| From online ezine B. Smith November 1997 |
PopCanon's release The Kingdom of Idiot Rock is a 15song collection of eclectic, upbeat pop tunes. A sevenpiece outfit, PopCanon incorporates piano, vox, cornet, tuba, violin and saxophone along with the usual guitar, bass and drums. Bouncy pop rhythms always seem to call for wacky, punchy lyrics of which PopCanon has their fair share. However, they are not so lyricly limited. Take for instance the sarcasm of Valentine's Day which includes the shock value line 'On Valentine's Day your brother told me he was gay'. Then there are the more edgy moments like the kissoff line in The Reason where Davis emphatically states 'I don't care what your god thinks'. Although at times PopCanon's silliness can overshadow the music, overall their latest release is a quirky, foottapping good time. But hey, what else would you expect from The Kingdom of Idiot Rock? | ||
| From INK 19 Brian Kruger November 1997 |
This full length 15-song CD from seven-piece
Gainesville band PopCanon (f/k/a the Semantics) is somewhat misnomered.
The Kingdom of College-Educated Smart-Guy Rock is closer
to the mark. Odd time signatures and exotic scales abound,
with the instrumentation being somewhat eclectic as well (2G+B+Dplus: piano,
trombone, cornet, tuba, saxophones and violin). I am one of those regressive louts who firmly believes in 4/4, and that the Phrygian mode should've died with all the rest of the ancient Greeks, but the saving grace here is PopCanon's sense of humor. The Fight Song in which the vocalists spell out the band name is especially hilarious, as is Valentine's Day in which the protagonist's girlfriend's brother comes out and comes on to the singer. Extra cool points for namechecking Tampa's great Clang on the closer. |
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Last modified: Monday, 9-Sep-2002 18:03:18 EST
