The Joggers Solid Guild

[Star Time; 2003]

Rating: 4/5

Styles: indie rock, garage rock
Others: The Walkmen, The Strokes, The French Kicks


Star Time must have a patent on this jangly post-punk sound. I first heard Solid Guild outside the context of the Walkmen or the French Kicks, and I thought it was uncanny how much they all seemed to reference one another. Then I found out they were all on the same label, and I got a little suspicious. While they all have their own unique elements -- the Walkmen have their pianos, the French Kicks their (giggle) tubular bells, the Joggers their razor-sharp guitar hooks -- these bands all have some essential sameness.

The Joggers are easily the most accomplished musicians of the group, from their duo of hot-shit guitarists to their rollicking bassist to their incessant drummer. On songs like “Neon Undercarriage,” the guitars deftly fall all over each other. However, the vocals aren’t quite as deft, with a well-conceived three-part vocal arrangement in which not all involved are up to the task. Ben Whitesides does very nicely by himself, such as on “Oriental Alarms,” sounding uncannily like Hamilton Leithauser of the Walkmen with chirping, delayed guitars backing him. And you’ll have a hard time convincing me “Every Other Word” isn’t a cut the Strokes incomprehensibly left off their new full- length.

But, none of this is to say that The Joggers are trying to piece together their sound from their contemporaries. They come across sounding confident in their own style. The end result is a solid album, which stands up with any other garage revival release.

1. Loosen Up
2. Hot Autism
3. Back to the Future
4. Little Kings
5. Neon Undercarraige
6. Natural Novice
7. Oriental Alarms
8. Every Other Word
9. I'm Not Convinced
10. The Trap
11. Blurred Digits
12. Same to You