Jimmy Dev seems to have been an omnipresent part of the Glasgow music scene forever, playing with countless bands putting his hand to a variety of music styles over the decades. Testing and honing his craft throughout his career, he can most recently be found and heard releasing singles and EPs under the nomenclature of monsterpop (lower case “m” intentional).
The resultant sound for monsterpop is a harmonious amalgamation of the different incarnations of Jimmy through the years (and believe me, if you’ve seen him on Facebook, there are many of those….) take a hunk of hard rock, a peppering of punk, a few grains of glam, an element of the eighties and plenty of punchy power pop, mix well and you’re pretty much there.
The album is Undaunted, both in name and in delivery. I get the impression the album title is a combination of a few things, a bit of a reflection on his own career, a general comment on the bands who keep playing for the love of music, and a comment on how difficult it is for an independent artist to get their music heard. “Disenchanted, but undaunted all the same” as he sings in the album’s title track.
Undaunted
Should he carry on Undaunted? You bet he should. Undaunted is a tremendously uplifting listen. The songs sound immense, packed with stadium sized riffs, oozing punchy punk rock swagger, with swathes of effortlessly rhythmic power pop melodies to die for.
From the opening energetic burst of Alright all the way through to the bluesy ZZ Top strut of Don’t U Get Me Wrong via the driving melancholy and reflective lyrics of What U R 2 Day (has he been drinking at the cup of Prince with these song titles?) this is a rockin’ thrill ride of gigantic rifftastic proportions.
You Mean Everything to Me sounds like he’s taken some sort of 1950s dream pop ballad given it a course of steroids, added some 1970’s glam then beefed it up with some crunching riffs and let it crash through the sound barrier. (And if that isn’t enough – check the Glitter Country version…). He’d obviously found the accelerator at this point, as the pace stays at 1000 mph with the pirate fuelled adrenaline rush of the Iron Maiden meets Friggin’ in the Riggin’ of Beyond the Seven Seas.
There is a reflective nature to a lot of the lyrics on the album, at the end of the album there are alternative versions of some of the songs. What U R 2 Day is just as effective as an acoustic song, perhaps in some ways, even more powerful due to the spirit of the words.
The decisions you have made, make you what you are today…
Take a punt on this, if you like big power pop tunes, bounteous energy and riffs galore you’ll enjoy.
Thank u so much mate! That is absolutely fantastic. Its fair to say I’ve had a tough year health wise, to say the least and right at this moment things are pretty bad for other reasons too.I havent been able to make any music for a while now,and i dont know when i can get back to it.so this hasn’t made my day as it usually does,its pretty much made my year. Disenchanted, but Undaunted all the same😉😎👍🤞
A great review and recommendation. Just spent a pleasant hour in Jimmy Dev’s company, via monsterpop’s, Undaunted. The production is class, arrangements very clever, and the songs full of hooks, both lyrically and guitar-wise. Nice one, Ginger Quiff & Jimmy D!