With unperturbed expressions jacketing their faces, J.D. Fortune and Marty Casey stood on the stage as if it were a balance beam. Although externally composed, they internally struggled to maintain their poise as 15 million hushed viewers witnessed the unraveling of their futures.
The gig was CBS's summer guilty-pleasure "Rockstar: INXS," and Fortune was revealed the winner. His prize was the position as front man for the widely-popular Australian rock band INXS. Casey, on the other hand, as runner-up, would most likely pack his bags and head home to Chicago, where he would rejoin forces with his band, the Lovehammers, and melt away from the popular eye.
Or so he thought.
Fast-forward six months to the present day and discover Marty Casey & Lovehammers having just released a self-titled album under Epic's esteemed label and performing as the opening act on INXS's world-wide tour.
In retrospect, it appears as if Casey was handed the better end of the deal. While INXS has been accused of cheapening their image by headlining a reality show, "Rockstar" did nothing but skyrocket the Lovehammers' career. Having been a fan favorite and the predicted winner, Casey used his established popularity to shepherd his band from a Chicago favorite to an overnight global phenomenon.
And unlike Fortune and the newly reshaped INXS, Marty Casey & Lovehammers have nothing to prove. They're able to take risks without worrying about hungry critics or hostile fans. And with their eclectic eponymous release, the Chicagoans offer a collection of 11 diverse, neo-grunge tracks, reminiscent of the polished rock sound that dominated mainstream airwaves almost a decade ago.
The Lovehammers, comprised of Casey, guitarist Billy Sawilchik, bassist Dino Kourelis and drummer Bobby Kourelis, cohere so seamlessly and irreplaceably well together, fans must have been jumping up and down when Casey was not named the victor on "Rockstar." Time will tell if Fortune was the right choice for INXS, but it's already clear that Casey belongs nowhere else but with the Lovehammers.
The band offers ripe instrumentals, rippling melodies and rallying vocals, alluding to the era when authentic rock groups like Bush and Stone Temple Pilots ruled the radio. Their latest album is an experimental collage of different sounds, distinct melodies and diverse production techniques fit together in a way that constructs a bright but shattered mosaic.
It may be easy for the untrained ear to doubt the authenticity of Casey and company. Sure, they have the legendary Dave Navarro's approval, but reality TV is notorious for producing short-lived, over-hyped, artistically-inflated flops (for some reason O-Town comes to mind). And who would believe that Casey — a guy with such cover-model, pencil-thin good looks that he makes the otherwise dreamy Ashley Parker Angel look barbaric — could legitimately rock with the big boys?
But doubters, beware, Marty Casey & Lovehammers are the real deal. Minus the leading track, "Casualty," the entirety of their latest release stems from their pre-"Rockstar" repertoire, compiling what Casey refers to as the band's greatest hits record. "Casualty," sure to soon be released as a single, displays the band's maturity and its uncanny ability to streamline rock without bowing to pop culture.
Similarly, the album's first single, "Trees," an amped-up version of the song made famous by Casey's performance on "Rockstar," may be corny ("You and me up in the trees /And the forest will give us the answer") but, like "Casualty," it's a hook guaranteed to catch first-time rock listeners while still impressing loyal fans.
Casey, a blond, Britney-inspired bombshell, may inhale pop, but he exhales a sound that can be described as nothing less than pure rock. Just listen to "Clinic," the scratchy, grungy track reminiscent of the sound currently ignored by mainstream airwaves and heard only on the sound speakers in ill-lit record stores.
"Clinic" may scream fire in a very raspy voice, but the mellow tracks like "Rain on the Brain" and "Clouds" showcase the band's diverse dynamic by resonating a sense of inspiration without carrying that annoying emo whine.
Perhaps, yes, their sound would have gone unnoticed ten years ago, evaporated in the pool of talented rivals. But the release of their major-label debut comes at an ideal time, when rock truly needs a makeover. Plagued by the boring and blockheaded sounds from groups like Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd, the good ol' rock-and-roll needs a resurrection, and Marty Casey & Lovehammers just might carry the appropriate tools.
Known as a band best heard live, they've still managed to create a brilliantly crafted and electrifying raw album sure to push them beyond the realm of celebrity. And they've proven to us all that the losers really do get lucky sometimes.
Rating: 4 out of 5
