It's fun to make up words. If there isn't a word to fit the mood, create one. The lads in Jim's Big Ego have unveiled their own little subgenre that they are going to call unpop. It's the kind of music that Jim Infantino has been constructing for years, this time released in a classic cartoon-styled package. Call it melody-rock, personality-rock, whatever you may, They're Everywhere is in that vibe, with a little more zaniness and macro-social commentary thrown in. Infantino started in the subways and the streets, and this is evident in his music, mostly in the lyrics, clearly the centerpiece of They're Everywhere. While the band jams along nicely, each song is provided space for the little bits of commentary continually issuing through the center channel. The lyrics move from clever to slightly pretentious. The more musically kicking tracks such as the title track as well as Math Prof Rock Star are the top points. Luckily the strong outweigh the bad and no foul aftertaste is left at the end of the program. The second half of the record finishes strongly, starting with the lighter and natural sounding Love What's Gone. The great thing about this track is that it seems mostly devoid of zealous attempts to entertain and just seems to be a good and meaty piece of song. Personality, as Jules once said, go (sic) a long way. In writing, they should not hold back in any way, but could possibly explore the balance between lyric and song. They clearly have the juice and demonstrate it well during They're Everywhere, it's nice to have a couple of tracks to match the absolutely sweet artwork. Mostly tongue in cheek, this record is for the most part on the Inbound side of the tracks. Provided you can get a comfortable bench and accept the occasional lapse into the overly wry, Jim's Big Ego might even be worth hanging around the train station a little extra for. (self-released)

Contact: www.bigego.com