Jack's House

http://fatampmusic.com/Unsigned-review-JacksHouse.html - Fat Amp Music

Alexandria, Virginia’s pop quartet Jack’s House are here with their debut album. Produced by Ted Comerford (Lucky Town, Red Wanting Blue, Virginia Coalition) and Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Ben Fold’s Five, Wilco), the album is punctuated with sweet melodies and catchy hooks. For comparisons sake Jack’s House is like a mix between Super 8, Maroon 5, and Barenaked Ladies. They’re soulful and captivating from the onset often churning out guitar riffs that seem destined for Billboard charts. A bit of funk is mixed in with their infectious pop-rock groove and that gives it a bouncy feel that college crowds will fall in love with. It’s awesome to know that a great kick-ass band like this is just around the corner from Smother’s headquarters. - Smother Magazine

While downtrodden, angst-ridden bands are a dime a dozen, the four guys that make up Jack's House stand out as an upbeat, energetic rock group -- maybe not a difficult task since they're happily employed. "There's no better job for any of us than this band," says singer-guitarist Ricky Irby.

Named for the band's original practice space -- drummer Jack Bryant's mother's house -- Jack's House shows off its blend of influences in its music. "We enjoy emulating the stuff that we love and grew up with and we want to just make it ours," says Bryant. "I like to think we have a very original band."

The "stuff they love" (such as Wilco, Jeff Buckley and Incubus) is so eclectic that it's hard to pinpoint the band in a specific genre. "It's acoustic rock with everything else," says Irby. "We go to hip-hop, we go to jazz, we go to rock [and] we go to chorus."

But the appeal of Jack's House rests largely on the band's strong pop sensibilities -- seamless harmonies, catchy melodies and wide-eyed optimism not often found in today's rock music.

During a live show (such as their performance at the 9:30 club on July 3), the high school chorus influence is evident in singer Javarus Ford's powerful voice. Assuming the role of heartthrob, Irby takes a commanding vocal lead on some songs, sometimes having to sing over the screams of female fans. Ford and Irby aren't afraid to use the art of a cappella to their advantage -- their taut harmonies follow through, even after the music has stopped. Not to be outdone, Bryant and bassist Dave Maniscalo attract attention with their outgoing stage presence, achieving impressive tempo changes with ease.

Formed in 1999, Jack's House came together with one thing in mind. "We all basically met through music," says Bryant. And the group now (the lineup has changed over the years) works jointly to create new material. "People got used to each other and fell into their niche songwriting-wise," says Ford.

And the high school band has grown up into musicians. "Now we're much more focused on moments in songs," says Bryant. "I feel that musical effect is a very delicate thing . . . our maturity has grown into simplicity. Now we're willing to just chill."

This newfound simplicity carries over into the band's goals. "What I'd love to do is be able to play maybe five times a week and be able to make a living off of it," says Ford. "Not get anything extravagant …just be comfortable on the road." Jack's House also hopes to release a full-length album this year as a follow-up to its 2002 CD release.

Bryant's objective is a bit less tangible. "To be one hundred percent cliché, [my goal is] reaching people," he says. "I try to imagine it like I'm having a conversation … so people really feel that they know us." - The Washington Post