LTTGOE: John Davis

October 22nd, 2007

Disappointed with how lackluster the new Foo Fighters album turned out?

Craving some good ol’ fashion rock ‘n roll that kicks you right in the ass?

Boy, do I have an album for you.

The just released second solo album by John Davis titled Arigato!.

For those of you who might not know the man, he was the singer/songwriter/frontman for Superdrag, one of the greatest (and sadly underrated) power pop bands of the 90s.

You might remember their infectious college radio/MTV hit Sucked Out from their debut album Regretfully Yours released back in 1996.

Superdrag churned out kickass album after kickass album until 2003, when members of the band started to part ways and John hit a breaking point, turning into a full blown alcoholic – not to mention constant touring – taking a toll on his health.

So, he got himself together, found Jebus and became a family man. His Christianity is a big part of his music these days but it hasn’t mellowed the man out one bit when it comes to rockin’.

You know how you’re listening to a rock album and then all of a sudden, a slower/sappier “this one’s for the ladies” ballad comes in and breaks the momentum?

None of that crap here.

On this album, it’s 11 balls to the wall songs cranked all the way up.

Sounding much like Foo Fighters (which incidentally, the album was recorded at their home studio in Los Angeles) and great bands of yore like Dinosaur Jr. and Hüsker Dü. It’s still some great melodious power pop a la Superdrag but with a punk edge to it. Just simple guitars, bass and drums like the good lord intended it to be.

He’s on tour right now, reunited with the original Superdrag lineup from that debut album, doing a few eastern U.S. concerts, (sadly no love for us Canucks…yet), but hopefully we’ll get to experience the rockness that is Arigato! on our side of the border soon.

Standout tracks: Chant Down Babylon, Watch Me Walk Away and Scared Of What I Might Find.

If those songs don’t get your feet a tappin’, there’s no bloody hope for you.

Buy the album.

Posted on Monday, October 22nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm by Bobby and is filed under MuchRadar.