By Jennifer Levesque
For the Valley Advocate
After a show in Rhode Island, I once told Thom Yorke (Radiohead, The Smile) that he was my antidepressant. “Good. I’m easier to come off on,” he said, then paused and smirked, “Oh that didn’t come out good, if you know what I mean.”
The autographed show poster that he signed during our brief, yet comical interaction hangs above my vinyl setup in my living room. Just looking in that direction releases a sense of joy and calmness. A non-medical antidepressant.
I have been collecting vinyl since I was a little girl, when I would take some of my parents’ records and play them on my mother’s old suitcase record player she gave me. Later on I began scoring gems at flea markets or record shops, or pre-ordering the limited editions of my favorites.
My current setup is a vintage vinyl/cassette/8-track stereo my dad restored and gifted me for my birthday a few years ago. I always feel so snobbish when I lift that clear plastic cover, turn it on and gently place my selection under the needle. And I love it! If I could offer any advice for anyone to start a new hobby in life, if you’re into music, collecting vinyl would be a good choice.
Here’s a couple of albums I picked up recently that I’m happy to add to my never-ending vinyl collection.
J Prozac, “Obsession”
Speaking of antidepressants, any musical project that includes local musician Jay Gauvin (aka J Prozac) is sure to lift your spirits. Check out The Prozacs (western Mass punk rock since 2001) as well while you’re going down the punk rabbit hole.
Typically punk rock music is fun and upbeat with some catchy riffs. The lyrics however sometimes steer in the direction of heavy subjects and somber feelings. With that mixture, I have always found punk rock to be a highly emotional genre that gets you in all the different feels.
“Obsession” is the latest release of J Prozac. It sports a beautiful tangerine-colored vinyl that matches the oranges and greys in the album cover. Gauvin’s guitar and vocals intertwine with Rob Pajer on drums, Greg Russian on bass and Vic Rosario on lead guitar. The title track starts the album off with high energy that throws your mind, body and soul into the punk show wherever you are listening.
“Darkness” is my favorite track on the album, and the most spinned around my record player. The vocals are full of angst and a final-straw feeling that I think we all can relate to. “Must be lying to myself // Hoping that it’s over soon // Can’t see thru the fog so thick // As I face impending doom.”
“‘Darkness’ is a song about being in a place or situation you’ve been in before, yet vowed to never return,” Gauvin explained. “One that’s sucking the life out of you while all you can do is wait for it to run its course and be over.”
Short and sweet, “The Bitter End” gives me The Used from 2004 vibes and it has the best lyric in the entire album: “I’m committed to the heartache of this world.”
I imagined that song had a different story behind it until Gauvin told me his inspiration. “My wife pokes fun at me because I will watch a movie or TV series all the way through, regardless of how bad it might be. I guess it’s a completist sort of thing … a kind of acceptance and commitment of things that are not ideal but following it to the end,” he said.
There are a few music videos accompanying the album that are available on YouTube, and “Problems” is my favorite. It’s a mixed media art piece that has cartoon characters of the band members playing along to the song. You also catch glimpses of Gauvin in different stages in his life, almost like home videos overlaying the collage-style art in the video. And then of course the iconic Prozacs logo cartoon is scattered throughout – at one point it’s disguised as a cookie in a bowl full of cookies.
The fun yet slightly self deprecating “No Brain? No Problem!” was a nod to the style to punk rock icons, Ramones. “It’s a light-hearted poke at the idea of ignorance is bliss, leaving you in a place of unawareness and happiness,” Gauvin said.
The whole album is fun and each song has its own attitude, with lyrics you can read alone as poetry in the liner notes. You can check out “Obsession” on Bandcamp, and you can also check out The Prozacs live at Hutghis at the Nook in Westfield on April 26 at 6 p.m., in support of Kill Lincoln and Hell Beach.
Oh He Dead, “Ugly”
Washington, D.C.-based indie soul group Oh He Dead’s latest release “Ugly” is anything but the title. It’s fun, catchy, soulful and gets you moving out of your seat. The vinyl is also the prettiest vinyl I have in my collection. It is a see-through pearly light purple that made me giddy with excitement once I pulled it out of its sleeve.
“Is It Love” and “Strange Love” are the two pop tracks, more upbeat, but still with that funky groove that follows the entirety of the album.
Once “Two Days” came on, I immediately got chills. It’s slow and eerie sounding and the lyrics are a little dark and obsessive. I see this in the background of a thriller film with a character secretly plotting to trap the one they are obsessing over.
“I don’t think I’ve ever written such a creepy song as ‘Two Days,’” said lead vocalist CJ Johnson in a press release for the album. “And I am kinda turned on by the fact of being creepy cuz I probably will never be that creepy ever again.”
I listened to “Moonshine” a few times in a row, and I love it so much. The southern soul rings out clear in that track and the wailing guitars are just perfect.
“Every Last Trail” has folk vibes: it’s a song about loss, but manages to be whimsical. The lyrics are a beautiful tribute and I’m sure relatable to anyone listening. “I’ll hike down every last trail // I won’t stop till I find you // Standing there.”
“The Foreigner” starts off sad and mellow, then about halfway through the band hits the switch and the whole vibe changes. “It only takes just one time // And I know I’ll be alright // Counting down the days.” The vocals turn from smooth and elegant to almost animalistic, then return to soft again. The track is intense and amazing.
The closing track, “Cover Me,” is my favorite. The smoky, sultry blues vibes are strong and soothing. The lyrics are hauntingly beautiful: “Memories of this home ain’t my home // Cause the ghost of you is haunting me // Won’t leave me alone // A tree might fall on this house with the wind blowing like this // Lord please oh cover me I just want to exist.”
Although Oh He Dead are not local, they do tour in our area from time to time, so be on the lookout. “Ugly” is available on their Bandcamp page.
