The Complete Strategist

short version:

The 'Strategist began as a one-man project. He/They were picked up by Happy Home Records after the release of the highly acclaimed "Willow Park" single. The music/songs can be classified as econo-pop.

long version:

As a disillusioned student of the self-polishing Berklee College of Music, Billy Kilgannon was attracted instead to the unpretentious charm of XTC, Weezer, and the Kinks. Creating the Complete Strategist as his permanent institution, he tested the waters with teasing minimalist pop before assembling a full band. Having luminous drive to reach the depths of their skills, the musicians evolve together at an incredible pace and it’s fascinating to witness from the seat of an observer.

The Complete Strategist embraces the generation of bed-sitting songwriters and invites them to the realm of a thinking person’s pop music; the tongue-in-cheek singalongs, guitars with the shapeshifting ability to appeal to ever-changing moods, and the melancholic messages all give nod to those of us who worshipped the underground heroes of ’90s indie music. The ability to be humble yet palatable to most anyone is a striking characteristic and perhaps an explanation of how the band continues and expands on the paths of their idols.

The band’s debut ‘We Care’ is the imaginative collection of songs recorded by Billy Kilgannon, whose distinctive voice proves that it’s possible to be playful and endearing in the same breath. Energetic moments are carefully directed into a subtle resemblance to The Cars’ version of new wave, then bookended with intimate harmonies. The ten tracks of the album are easily absorbed, leaving a taste of tangled optimism with every listen.