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 MIKEY
ERG – Tentative Decisions (Don Giovanni Records, www.dongiovannirecords.com)
The Ergs have been gone for several years, but we haven’t
exactly been lacking for records with Mikey Erg on them. Probably
one of the most tireless musicians in the scene, Mikey has
played with many bands over the years. And, after releasing
a few EPs under his own name, he’s finally putting out
his debut full-length LP, on Don Giovanni Records, no less.
In a way, we know what to expect from something with Mikey
Erg’s name on it: something pop punkish, melodic, bouncy,
and fun. And that’s exactly what’s on offer. The
songs tend more to the indie rock side of the equation, but
the pop punk roots are still clearly there. The songs are
predominantly mid-tempo, but still rock pretty hard. There’s
nothing tentative about it. Mikey jumps right in, with “Faulty
Metaphor” opening the album. And Mikey does it right,
putting one of the best songs first. This one comes right
at you, hitting all the right marks. I really like “An
Abundance of Julies,” a song that, to my ears, at least,
has a strong Elvis Costello sound to it. “Scenic Turnout”
has a gritty Americana feel to it. More than that, it has
a desolate, lonely feel, even as it hammers hard, like a desert
anthem. “Song for New Britain” is probably the
song with the most jangle on the record, almost sparkling
at moments. And the closer, “Nyquil and Sudafed,”
is a slower track, epic in sound, and almost grunge-like in
feel. It’s the perfect way to end this debut, and definitely
leaves me wanting more. And more is what we’ll be getting,
soon, with Mikey out on tour this summer (with The Falcon,
The Copyrights, and Sam Russo), as well as playing some shows
with a reunited Ergs! Until then, I recommend picking up this
record and listening often. - Paul Silver
MIKEY ERG - Tentative Decisions (Don Giovanni)
It's one thing to write dorky teenage love songs when you're
a teenage dork. The reason the Ergs' DorkCorkRod remains
a pop-punk classic is because every word and every note rings
true, delivered by three talented but hopelessly outre music
nerds with glasses, Converse All-Stars. and bad haircuts who
clearly spent way more time with their record collections
than girlfriends. Fast forward to the present and Mike Yannich
- aka Mikey Erg, the Ergs' drummer, principal songwriter,
and lead singer - is still writing pop punk songs, only now
he's an accomplished thirtysomething professional musician
in a steady relationship who's spent the last decade touring
the world, sitting in with dozens of bands (many of them his
boyhood heroes.) And so, the question looms, how does Mikey
Erg rekindle the teenage dork inside of him to (finally) write
his first solo album, a good eight years after the Ergs called
it a day? Happily, Tentative Decisions should delight
every Ergs fan (or pop-punk aficionado) who's been waiting
for Mikey to get over his writer's block and give us a new
full length. I honestly think Tentative Decisions is a better
album than the Ergs' swansong, Upstairs /Downstairs. What
the new album may lack in immediate pop gratification (sadly,
there's nothing quite as instantly infectious as "Books
About Miles Davis") it more than makes up for with consistentcy.
The album was recorded by Mikey and two musicians with a minimum
of overdubs, capturing a live energy that's almost kinetic.
It's all crunchy sonic guitars and punchy drums, melodic basslines
and emphatic vocals in Mikey's trademark nasal yowl. Women
remain a mystery ("all I know is what I've heard, but
even then I can't be sure," he sings in "Comme Si
About Me,") but these songs find Mike trying to solve
life's knottiest problem with humor, empathy, and a little
more realism than the lovesick dreamer of "Pray For Rain."
Musically, the album remains pop-punk more by association
than execution; the songs are written with a seasoned complexity,
with strong melodies, clever bridges, and hooky choruses.
"An Abundance Of Julies" could be a lost Gin Blossoms
track, while "Waiting Out The Winter" might be Mike's
first true ballad (with strings even!) Fear not, though, punk
fans, Mike can still crank it up a few notches for head-bobbing
rockers like "(This Is Not) The First Time," the
snotty, thrashing "Apart Time," the regret-tinged,.
lost-love lament "1001 Smashed Hotel Rooms," and
finally, a sequel of sorts to Upstairs/Downstairs'
noise-jam title track called "Nyquil & Sudafed."
(For more information on how the album was written and recorded,
I recommend listening to my interview with Mikey on the
Jersey Beat Podcast.) Album of the summer, maybe of the
year? - Jim Testa
 MIKEY
ERG - Tentative Decisions (Don Giovanni Records)
The rightfully beloved Mikey Erg finally releases his first
complete solo record and all the greatness that prior EPs
teased and the fond memories so many of us carry from the
Ergs are present on Tentative Decisions. From the opening
seconds of “Faulty Metaphors”, a typical self-deprecating
take on his emotional struggles, Erg blasts away at heartbreak
with eleven ridiculously catchy songs. Jeff Rosenstock and
Louise Hanman help out on bass and drums respectively, and
they give the record a richly fleshed out sound, particularly
on “An Abundance of Julies” and the first sneak
peak of the record, the blissfully sarcastic “Comme
Si About Me” (“I wished that you loved me, blah
blah blah blah”). While Erg experiments a bit with tempo
and stretches his punk sensibilities of “Waiting Out
the Winter” and “Scenic Turnout”, he is
his best on the speedy, snarky “(This is Not) The First
Time” and the bombastic, noise fest conclusion “Nyquil
and Sudafed”. In between, the soaring harmonies of “Apart
Time” and the groove of “1001 Smashed Hotel Rooms”
are unmistakably Erg. Everything about Tentative Decisions
both pay homage to Erg’s lineage as a performer while
also declaring himself as a highly sophisticated writer steeped
in emotional intelligence. Legions of punk acts have written
about the pain of loneliness, but few do it with the introspection
and love of harmony of Mikey Erg. - Rich Quinlan
JerseyBeat.com
is an independently published music fanzine
covering punk, alternative, ska, techno and garage
music, focusing on New Jersey and the Tri-State
area. For the past 25 years, the Jersey Beat music
fanzine has been the authority on the latest upcoming
bands and a resource for all those interested in
rock and roll.
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