Three years ago with the tragic end of piano rock pioneers Something Corporate, shaggy blond Andrew Mcmahon, reassured the hopes of SoCo fans everywhere with his then new project Jack’s Mannequin. His first break off album Everything In Transit, which included the hits “Dark Blue,” and “The Mixed Tape,” provided exactly what punk rock princesses everywhere were left longing for. With McMahon’s unfortunate diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Jack’s Mannequin music was forced into an unhappy hiatus. Now, three years after overcoming what was then such a misfortune, McMahon has returned with an album that makes Everything In Transit seem like an album for dusty shelves. This year’s The Glass Passenger, slated for release September 30th, dives deep into the inner mind of McMahon during the battle against his illness. The entire album focuses on the positivity of life and the rewarding emotions of overcoming hardships, which McMahon can portray like no other. The album opens with the first single “The Resolution,” which focuses entirely on these factors. With the lyrics “I’m alive/ I don’t need a witness to know that I survived,” McMahon introduces himself as fully recovered and back to own the keys of his piano and the hearts of his fans. The album follows into the uplifting song “Spinning,” which is a fast paced, guitar led track about getting back on your feet. McMahon’s blissful voice echoes from start to finish. A few tracks into the album we get he haunting song “Annie Use Your Telescope.” Pounding bass drum in time with McMahon’s essential piano bring a completely new, more mature type of sound to the punk/emo McMahon which has always been. “Lullaby” calms the album down as an acoustic piano ballad. The touching lyrics here describe the return to what “Andy” is loved for the most, the magic fingered musician at his piano bench. Portrayed as a conversation with an old friend, the unknown friend requests “Write me a song/ Give me something to trust/ Just promise you won’t let it be just the keys that you touch.” The album comes to a later close with a song that some may consider Jack’s Mannequin’s own “Konstantine.” This seven-and-a-half minute track, “Caves,” opens with a slow but happy-go-lucky piano solo. McMahon soon voices over solemnly regarding walls caving in around him. Three minutes into the song, following the powerful words “The walls fell and there I lay/ Saved,” the piano’s sudden pick up will surely cue goose bumps. After a chaotic slamming of keys, drums and guitar kick in quickly and the song explodes. Within seconds McMahon’s full recovery is flawlessly portrayed within the music. This song is undoubtedly the most emotional and truthful song on the album. Metaphors aside, we get straight to the point in the lyrics: “Beat my body like a rag doll/ You stuck the needles in my hip/ Said 'we're not gonna lie/ Son, you just might die/ Get you on that morphine drip.” The song slowly fades out with the same opening circus-esque keys. While some may have never seen the silver lining for the future of the pop/punk world’s most loved pianist, the leader of Jack’s Mannequin has returned more in-tuned to the beauty of his talent than ever before. If you’ve ever felt the need to be uplifted or inspired, The Glass Passenger is, well, the resolution. |
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