Gentleman Jesse and His Men
Introducing…
Douchemaster Records

I think my friends are getting sick of me talking about this band, but goddamn are they something. I was tempted to type this review in all caps but was afraid to come across as ridiculous (or like that crazy ex-girlfriend who you can’t get a read on if she’s really nutso or just eccentric ‘cuz she always types in ALL CAPS with spelling errors and poor punctuation)…

Anyhoo, where was I? Oh yeah, I gots a whole year on all y’all when Gentleman Jesse and His Men finally get the praise they’re due. I saw them way back when (okay, only September 2007) at Gonerfest and was blown away. I bought their first 7″ (which I hear is out of print and that’s a goddamn shame because “I Don’t Wanna Know” is NOT on the album. That is a fan-fucking-tastic tune.) I got to see them again, this time at the Wild Weekend Power Pop fest in Austin, TX. Blown away again. Gentleman Jesse is not sporting his huge Josh Wolf mustache on the cover; you gotta see that thing to believe it.

I like this album lots, but seeing GJ&HM live is definitely where it’s at. Upbeat rock and roll power pop… kinda makes me think of the Exploding Hearts, if they played through a clean channel. Highlights include, but are not limited to: “Butterfingers”, “You Don’t Have to (If You Don’t Want To)”, “If I Can See You (You’re Too Close to Me)”. In case you’re interested, there’s another song on the album that uses parentheses. Buy this album today. Douchemaster Records have been putting out lots of good rock and roll lately (too bad about the label name, though).