Wonder. Jody & The Jerms

On the basis of the singles appearing in the weekly singles section, it may not come as a surprise that Wonder comes forward as an album post as well. Jody & the Jerms present a very nice pop album that wallows in the past and is the right sort of album for 2023 all in one go.

Jody & The Jerms formed in 2019 and appears in a hurry. Come 2023 the Oxford band around Jody and Niall Jeger releases its third album filled with glorious jangly pop tunes. Recorded in Ride's Mark Gardener's studio Wonder is just that, a wonder of fine pop tunes. With these songs in hand the band is ready to take on the world.

Anyone who looks at the photo's of the band will recognised its members have lived and will have a musical past behind them already. I do not know what the story is. What I do recognise is the ability to write and play pop songs that are always a pleasure to listen to. Anyone could have fooled me on the basis of the music that I'm listening to a young aspiring artist with a penchant for old style pop music.

Pop music, especially from girl bands from the U.S. from around 1980, is what shines through on Wonder. Jody & The Jerms obviously love the music that came from the likes of The Go-Go's, The Bangles and Blondie. The band writes songs in this style and gets away with it gloriously. Jody Jeger fronts the band with an obvious pleasure. She's having a good time singing these songs and shining because of it.

Promo photo: Peter Millson

Behind her, the jangly guitars give the music something from the past. The Byrds, REM are combined with indiepop from the past. Just like the sound of the keyboard/organ pinpoints the music to an era from long ago. The fact that people still make music in this style says something of the strength and longevity of the genre.

Luckily, Jody & The Jerms do not mind rocking a little harder as well. Wonder deserves the rocking sound of 'Just For Show'. A nice boogie rhythm bringing T. Rex to mind, in combination with a Blondie vocal melody works really well. Single 'Insatiable' already showed this band can rock a bit harder successfully, in a 60s style over a The Go-Go's pop feel. 

Wonder shows a few sides to Jody & The Jerms making it a besides a nice also a nicely varied album. Okay, it may not be the most original album I've recently heard, it deserves to be heard nonetheless. Albums with a great pop feel are to be treasured. This is one of them.

Wout de Natris

 

You can listen to and order Wonder here:

https://jodyandthejerms.bandcamp.com/album/wonder