Victory’s recent batch of signings have been extremely varied – from the likes of Aiden, Sinai Beach, The Forecast, June and The Junior Varisty – so there’s pretty much something for everyone. But then if you owned a label that has bands selling CDs by the bucketload (Straylight Run, Hawthorne Heights and Taking Back Sunday), you’d be inclined to spread your wings and snap up an extensive roter of different acts. TJV made an interesting UK debut when they found themselves short of work permits, but the few shows they did manage to get on showed just why the band are so highly rated. Energetic, catchy and real drunkards, it’s safe to say on the basis of the live show TJV made an impression.
‘Wide Eyed’ is the band’s debut for Victory and is a happy and jovial record which maintains a bit of an edge. To be fair, the band stick out from the saturated crowd. Opener ‘Get Comfortable’ has a little va-va-voom – a certain je ne sais quoi that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s indicative of the band to be honest, they seem to be able to very gently make an impression without needing to make a sudden jolt to infiltrate your brain. TJV have plenty of hooks and melodies, yet their subtle; ‘Everyone’s Got Something They’re running Out Of’ is a dance-a-thon, while ‘When We Meet Aliens’ is a beautiful little ditty. Both songs are very different, but then TJV manage to come across as a band still finding their sound, rather than throwing all their eggs into one basket and sounding like a multitude of others. ‘Wide-Eyed’ isn’t an all-time classic, but it’s a decent first effort nonetheless and a great starting point. I can see their live enthusiasm picking off plenty of new fans, who won’t be disappointed with this release.
www.purevolume.com/thejuniorvarsity
Victory Records
Paul