Lonely People of the World, Unite!

Chicago Reader
"Showcases [Davis'] penchant for the big-tableau, feedback-laden hooks, and winking wordplay associated with arena-friendly power-poppers like Superdrag and Weezer."

Product Description
The solo debut from Chicago’s Devin Davis is a collection of songs whose all-encompassing theme is that of loneliness. In much the same way that The Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs was a meditation on love, Lonely People is an anthemic ode to loneliness in its many forms and effects. The theme of loneliness was decided upon partly as a result of the recording process that Davis followed, with marathon sessions in the studio, often in the middle of the night, over a two-year period. Told in first person through the eyes of a varied cast of characters, (ranging from William Tell and the ghost of legendary American wanderer Everett Reuss to an amphibian in love with a wounded bird and a sea-weary Viking), these songs seek to be more story than diary entry, with settings as varied as a Starbucks on top of Mt. Everest and a bomb shelter in the midst of a nuclear war.

Lonely People of the World, Unite!,Devin Davis,Animal World,Chamber Pop,Indie Rock,Pop,Pop Underground,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Lonely People of the World, Unite!

Average customer rating: Devin Davis is a do-it-all natural wonder who has created a pop masterpiece Top of the line power/pop The Best Album of 2005 Though the singer's voice may not appeal to all, those who can look past it will find a good, not great, indie rock album! So what, it's derivative, but that's not necessarily a BAD thing...

Lonely People of the World, Unite! Devin Davis Manufacturer: Animal World ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs At War with the Mystics You in Reverse Future Women The Instigator ASIN: B0007M22QQ Release Date: 2005-03-15

Tracks:

1. Iron Woman
2. When I Turn Ninety-Nine
3. Turtle And The Flightless Bird
4. Moon Over Shark City
5. Cannons At The Courthouse
6. Transcendental Sports Anthem
7. Sandie
8. Paratrooper With Amnesia
9. Giant Spiders
10. The Choir Invisible
11. Deserted Eyeland

Album Description

The solo debut from Chicago's Devin Davis is a collection of songs whose all-encompassing theme is that of loneliness. In much the same way that The Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs was a meditation on love, Lonely People is an anthemic ode to loneliness in its many forms and effects. The theme of loneliness was decided upon partly as a result of the recording process that Davis followed, with marathon sessions in the studio, often in the middle of the night, over a two-year period. Told in first person through the eyes of a varied cast of characters, (ranging from William Tell and the ghost of legendary American wanderer Everett Reuss to an amphibian in love with a wounded bird and a sea-weary Viking), these songs seek to be more story than diary entry, with settings as varied as a Starbucks on top of Mt. Everest and a bomb shelter in the midst of a nuclear war.

Customer Reviews:

Devin Davis is a do-it-all natural wonder who has created a pop masterpiece.......2007-02-25

I live in the 60657 zip code, which is also home to Wrigley Field, the Metro, the Vic, and apparently Mousse Records, record label that currently consists of only one release, this album. So forgive me if I presume to consider Devin Davis not merely a Chicago artist, but a Lakeview artist (Lakeview being what we who live here call the area, but which bartenders and those not living in the area tend to call Wrigleyville).

Devin Davis is the ultimate do-it-all performer, even if he doesn't quite do it all. On this album, while he undertakes the vast majority of the musical parts, he does solicit help at a few points. But as producer, sound engineer, label owner, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist (he is listed as playing guitar, bass, drums, sax, organ, piano, percussion, Theremin, trumpet, trombone, and--I'm not making this up--giant gong) Davis really is the whole show. He even designed his own website. All of this seems quite appropriate for an album entitled LONELY PEOPLE OF THE WORLD UNITE.

This album is going remind people of the work of a lot of other power pop performers out there. Some have mentioned Brendan Benson and I can certainly see some of that. Actually, I find him similar to any of a host of performers who have been more or less inspired by Ray Davies, probably the godfather of them all. But this is not to suggest that he merely sounds like a knock off of more familiar performers. This album is a great one and it is so simply because of its inherent qualities. Basically, if you love hook-laden melodies and marvelously constructed and performed songs, this album will suck you in and delight you. The playing is so fine that you'll never suspect that Davis is doing all of the playing. It really does sound like a first rate band at work. Some here don't seem to like his voice. I have to confess that while it doesn't blow me away I am not at any point bothered by it. It doesn't possess the idiosyncrasies of Danielson's Daniel Smith, which truly does impede my enjoyment of his various albums ("Danielson" being merely one of the names Smith uses for his projects), and I find Davis at least as decent as most Indie performers.

What really makes this album work in the end is the strength of the songs. The playing really is pretty amazing when you realize that all of it is Davis, but it still all comes back to the songs. This is an extremely strong group of songs and it is entirely possible for two different people to pick their four favorites and have no overlap between them. For the record, my four favorites would probably (well, at least today) be the first three--"Iron Woman," "When I Turn Nine-Nine," and "Turtle and the Flightless Bird"--and either "Transcendental Sports Anthem" or "Paratrooper with Amnesia" (see, I've already been reduced to cheating). But then there is "Moon Over Shark City." Even if played by a full band this would be a stunning song, but when you realize that the chorus of sounds--saxes, hard driving piano, gritty guitars--are all Davis, it becomes something barely short of miraculous.

Later this year Devin Davis will be releasing his second album. Sophomore efforts are notoriously difficult. It is going to be really hard for him to reproduce the brilliance of this first effort. But that is really not relevant to this album. If your musical tastes run towards people like the New Pornographers, Brendan Benson, Sloan, Essex Green, and the New Constitution, you will absolutely flip out over this album. Buy it and play it for your friends and witness their amazement.

Top of the line power/pop.......2006-11-07

While it is true to say that mainstream music has suffered, it is not true to say that music in general has suffered. Aside from a few notable exceptions, one has to search for good new music in today's world. Clearly, it's not like the days when two of the most popular groups (the Beatles and Stones) were also at or near the top of the artistic heap. Devin Davis' Lonely People of the World, Unite! is one such example of a top flight record known almost exclusively by individuals not tuned solely to mainstream music. The record is an excellent example of power pop, and stands comfortably along with the best that genre has to offer, (Jason Falkner, Brendan Benson, Sloan, New Pornographers, and the great Matthew Sweet to name a few). Davis is unique though, and has a character all his own.

While it is true that Davis does not have a traditionally appealing voice, he more than makes up for it in personality, and many of the songs are hilarious. Also, Davis is a versatile craftsman. The songs run the gamut from full blown power chord workouts (When I Turn Ninety-Nine) to gentle acoustic pieces (Sandie, The Choir Invisible). Some songs even combine the two styles with startlingly good results, like the Kinks influenced "Paratrooper With Amnesia," which progresses from a saloon style piano-rocker to a punk inspired blowout.

Instrumentally, the album is terrific. Davis plays nearly all of the instruments himself, and his choices are splendid. Lyrically, Davis imbues the songs with humor, "I never heard from my Viking girl again," (Iron Woman), or stream-of-consciousness with a touch of the absurd, "slidin' down the rope came Willie Nelson ... We smoked some reefer on the roof of the White House," (Cannons at the Courthouse). The album is strong from start to finish, and most of the titles are original and attention grabbing. Davis sounds like a fully assured veteran on this record, having recorded and mixed the album himself. While this is not as much of an achievement these days as it once was, it still is impressive, especially when it is done on a nationally distributed indie label. Lonely People of the World Unite! goes down as a strongly recommended record for fans of power pop and melody-driven indie rock, even if Davis has not received a great deal of attention. Simply put, the album deserves to be discovered by more listeners.

The Best Album of 2005.......2006-01-26

I don't care if anyone thinks I'm bias for putting a musician whose name is the same as mine at number one. This guy is the real deal. Lonely People of the World, Unite! flows in a way I have rarely heard albums flow before. Every single aspect of this album, from writing to production to instrumentation, is stellar. Lead track "Iron Woman" begins at breakneck speed, with a sense of immediacy rarely heard on an indie rock album. And Davis' driving force never slows down as the album races through ten more songs, each one just as good as the last. His voice may not be as good as those of his contemporaries, but he delivers each vocal track with a wail and a yelp, as if he's betting all he's got on these eleven tracks (which he probably has).

Though the singer's voice may not appeal to all, those who can look past it will find a good, not great, indie rock album!.......2006-01-06

Devin Davis is unfortunately cursed with the ability to write some very good indie rock songs that are slightly ruined by his questionable delivery. "Iron Woman" and "Sandie", for example, are great sounding songs that, possibly with another singer, could be hitworthy tracks. He has a sort of rough/whiny voice most of the time which will turn a lot of people off, but it IS possible to stand it (compared to Action Action's and The Ponys' singer it's MUCH better). There are a couple bad songs here, but most of it is very well written and orchestrated, if not pretty lo-fi. Devin is clearly well-read and good with the English language. Musically it's like a mix between garage rock, indie rock and lo-fi which creates an interesting sound. I would've given this a "4.5" if it weren't for the generally unappealing nature of Devin's vocals. The album is not great, but it IS good. It's not for everyone, but indie rock fans who can stand his voice will probably like this CD. Recommended!

Highlights include:
"Iron Woman"
"When I Turn Ninety-Nine"
"Turtle & The Flightless Bird"
"Moon Over Shark City"
"Cannons At The Courthouse" (it's decent)
"Transcendental Sports Anthem"
"Sandie"
"Giant Spiders" (sort of)
"The Choir Invisible" (it's alright)

So what, it's derivative, but that's not necessarily a BAD thing..........2005-11-19

When you begin writing anything: whether it is a short story, poetry, or a power pop song, it's impossible to not be derivative--we all internalize our influences and translate them in our own style. As an artist matures, he begins to more successfully blend he influences with his own style and finds his own voice. Devin Davis' "Lonely People" is clearly derivative (and may be subjected to criticism because of it) but I personally have no complaints because Davis has (1) clearly chosen some of the best of the genre to emulate and (2) has pulled off an entertaining collection of songs reminiscent Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend". If you miss Ray Davies' power pop and are looking for someone who rocks the same chords with the energy of the Spiders From Mars, check this CD out. It isn't going to change the world or anything, but it will make it a lot groovier.

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