Fatal Jamz
Coverboy
(Lollipop Records)
3.5/5
Even if Fatal Jamz’ lead singer Marion Belle and his previous outfit Bowery Beasts are all completely new to you (like they were to me), you’ll swear you’ve heard their catchy glam-pop hooks and ’80s keyboards before. However, this is Fatal Jamz’ first full-length, having only released two EPs earlier this year.
Lyrically, the 10 tracks revolve around love and fame, and they’re played with a sincerity that suggests the band doesn’t take themselves too seriously but still worked hard recording this over no less than three years. Indeed, the craft on this album demonstrates a level that only comes with years of putting your heart into your work and not giving up on a dream.
The influences that come through in Coverboy—Bowie, The Cure, Thin Lizzy, and Mötley Crüe, oddly enough—are recognizable but not derivative. This is love with tongue in cheek. It’s easy to cruise to, and I’d like to hear more in the future.