Jeff Wave
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Alternative pop
Status:
Most recent release, I Give You Drama (2012)
See also:
Jeff Wave's site
Comparisons:
Young Marble Giants, The Magnetic Fields
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Jeff Wave's sound is stripped-down pop with an overall New Wave sound and clever lyrics. His dispassionate vocals and the keyboard-based sounds are reminiscent of the indie New Wave sound of such bands as Young Marble Giants and The Magnetic Fields. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)
Recommended first album:
Recordings:
- Songs for Working People (c. 1998?)
- Sleeping Through a Millenium< (2000)
- Home of the Brave? (2004)
- Just Another Pop Star From Detroit (2006)
- Electric Sheep (2008)
- I Give You Drama (2012)
Just Another Pop Star From Detroit
Release info:
2006—Zen Pop
Availability:
CDBaby
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of of moody, clever pop
Group members:
Jeff Wave—vocals, keyboards
Guest artists:
Craig Furkas—keyboards, sound design
Comments:
This album is immediately catchy, from its light pop sound, clever lyrics, and its echoes of a stripped-down New Wave. The collection front-loads the songs (four of them) then follows with three intriguing instrumentals. "I Wait for No One" is full of irresistible hooks offset by Wave's deadpan delivery of the lyrics. The tone of the singing is a fascinating combination of earnest and wry. You get the feeling of mockery teasing out real emotion—a neat trick that few vocalists could pull off. Musically the songs and instrumentals maintain other interesting balances between simplicity and complexity, a casual, tossed-off feel and yet with the authority of careful construction. Overall a truly intriguing album and highly recommended for fans of edgy pop. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)
Thanks to Sophia Gurley for work on this entry.
