Jackpot

By Casey Toner

For being “THE BEST ROCK BAND IN THE WHOLE WORLD RIGHT NOW,” according to their press release, they are actually quite good.

Enter Jackpot, a laid-back California band with a mellow groove and melody. Although the fancy press release compares Jackpot’s “Shiny Things” to Wilco and early Soul Asylum, Jackpot sounds more like the second Rentals pop-rock album “Seven More Minutes” or Radiohead’s transitional “OK Computer.” Rusty Miller, Jackpot’s guitarist and vocalist, has a familiar air about him. His guitar riff powered Cake’s hit “Never There,” but other than that, Jackpot is an unknown. An unknown with three albums to their name, “Shiny Things” being the most recent.

They are good, though. Much better than what their buzz-word-loaded press release makes them out to be.

The melodies of pianist Lee Bob Watson, bassist Shekdon Cooney and Miller is what drives the slow-weaving “Shiny Things.”

“Far Far Away,” in particular, is a pleasant sort of tune and a subtle romantic ditty. (But we will run / Far far far / Down the tunnels / And the aqueduct / Through the sky / Below the sea/ you and me will run).

With Jackpot, everything seems to fall into place. The lyrics are dead on ( I can’t be your Superman / ‘Cause no one’s really that super / But I’ll steal the neighbor’s cat / With you) while Miller rocks my socks without being over-powering and pianist Lee Bob Watson works in all the piano fills appropriately.

Do yourself a favor and skip the press releases. You won’t want read about “THE BEST ROCK BAND IN THE WHOLE WORLD RIGHT NOW,” but you’ll love listening to them.