Disposable Thumbs

We Watched the Sun Go Supernova is a little blast of electronically minded indie rock. The kind with a little guitar and humor thrown in for good measure. At only six tracks it is a fun record that ends before it can overstay its welcome; a little trick other bands should be quick to note.

- Zane Ewton - Rocknworld.com

Zach Lewis has experienced the intense scrutiny that accompanies performing a one-man show. With a laptop and an electric guitar as his only companions onstage, he is solo act Disposable Thumbs. Auditory deception strikes listeners who have not seen Lewis strum his guitar and tap his MIDI pedal, for Disposable Thumbs' tight craftsmanship and electro-rock sound leave audiences imagining a trio or quartet happily playing their respective instruments. There was a time, though, when that image was more than just a misguided conjugation. Although Lewis has been the only permanent member, the Disposable Thumbs project has gone through various incarnations with several other band members. But it was a show by solo performer Baby Dayliner that inspired Lewis to shed the extra weight. Since then, Disposable Thumbs has recorded We Watched the Sun Go Supernova, a six-track EP of upbeat ditties infused with alternative vibes and danceable beats. As for Lewis's take on his lonely place onstage: "You're up there and pretty vulnerable if you make a mistake. Being in the spotlight 100 percent of the time can be challenging. But it's a lot of fun too."

- Alexandra Quiñones - Miami New Times

Ziggy played guitar - we know, we bought the album, we dyed the hair, and we wore the spandex. But then, Ziggy got boring, started wearing suits, and went by the name David. Please, darling.

Luckily, Disposable Thumbs (the nom de guitaire of Zach Lewis) remembers the good old days and has the kindness to rehash them for us, a kind of I Love the (Good Music of) the 70s. The touchstones on this debut EP range from early Costello (Welcome to Guyana) to Roxy Music (Girl on Fire). The topics are gleefully diverse, from DIY brain surgery to the perils of a fashionista lifestyle, but the key to Lewis's music is his vocals; they're a dynamic interpretation of the Thin White Duke himself, in all his melodramatic glory.

"I'm second place in the race for space!" Lewis cries on Heavens to Betsy. With any luck, he'll wind up first - let's just hope that his inspiration doesn't turn to 80s Bowie.

- Emily Tartanella - One Times One

Synth pop with electro and noisy chaos in tow, We Watched the Sun Go Supernova has a way about that blurs the line between bleepy and glitchy IDM and electro pop. The vocals definitely feel inspired by David Bowie whose Ziggy Stardust-era Zach Lewis (the main singer/songwriter behind Disposable Thumbs) cites. The lyrics are quirky but a nice read nonetheless. Bouncy hooks get your juices flowing with ease on this bizarre yet fun pop album.

- J-Sin - Smother Magazine

Self proclaimed "electro-pop-rock" that hiccups closer to Sparks than to electroclash.

- Chuck Eddy - Village Voice

Disposable Thumbs is the pet project of Zach Lewis, he claims to be the only permanent member. This EP release is a cocktail of six short (under three minutes for the most part) and punchy tunes that sound like a 22nd Century Ric Ocasek experimenting with that retro 1980s Cars sound. Pretty, throwaway pop tunes that successfully employ electronica to guitar pop. "I've got a damaged frontal lobe/I wonder if I'm dumber" warbles Lewis in his best Elvis Costello vibrato. Make no mistake, this is Nerd Rock but the kinetic energy contained within all of the tracks is not marred by the wordy lyrics. In fact they add to the entertainment value, they are eminently quotable. This is one for fans of The Cars, Devo and Robert Pollard...I'd be interested to hear what Lewis will do with his up and coming full-length album.

- Marc A. Price - PopMatters