Coconut Records - Davy (Review)
Album art for Davy by Coconut Records
Much unlike his character from the cult-movie Rushmore that propelled him to fame and celebrity, Jason Schwartzman doesn’t suffer from illusions of grandeur, or at the very least doesn’t when he assumes his alter ego Coconut Records and starts to churn out pop tunes. Not content with being a drummer in a relatively successful band, Schwartzman left the now broken up Phantom Planet to pursue an acting career, but that as it turns out that was hardly enough to keep the multitalent from keeping a foot in the music business.
The first Coconut record (pun partially intended), Nighttiming, which was released in 2007, took many by surprise with its clear-cut pop sound, as opposed to the more rugged and rocked up sound that many of Phantom Planet’s followers were expecting. Davy follows in the same creative direction, and it doesn’t disappoint. Clocking in just under 30 minutes, it’s an easy to enjoy collection of sugary sweet songs that can serve as the perfect soundtrack for the day when the sun is shining and life is smiling in your direction.
The album kicks off with its first single, Microphone, a classic pop arrangement with a mix of strings, piano and drums, and a hook that will stick to your mind for days even after just a single listen. With the autobiographical Drummer, Schwartzman shares some of the milestones of his youth with his listeners, talking about how he lost his dad at 14 and other events, eventually leading up the the chorus : ” I was a drummer in a band that you’ve heard of “.
Davy is rewarded with 5 out of 6 waves.
My personal favourite on the record is the fourth track, Saint Jerome, which both in sound and lyrics could easily be mistaken for a product of a Lennon/McCartney collaboration from some 40 years ago. I could easily proceed by going through each of the remaining tracks, reiterating myself and stating over and over just how good of a grip Schwartzman has on the genre, but instead I’ll simply say that if you have a single fiber in your body that inclines you to listen to lighthearted pop, go out and get this record immediately. It doesn’t disappoint, and if picked up by the right people in the right places (radio stations), I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the tracks off of Davy becomes to 2009 what Jason Mraz’ I’m Yours was to 2008.
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Coconut Records - Davy « Audio Sweet Tooth | May 7th, 2009