Bill McGarvey
Tell Your Mother
(Thievery)
T.J. Simon's #19 album for 2003
First Appeared at The Music Box, May 2003, Volume 10, #5
Written by John Metzger
Wilco’s Summerteeth was a magnificent, though underappreciated, effort
that put pop back into rock ’n‘ roll. Although the public didn’t snatch up
copies quite as quickly as one might expect, the song suite did make a
significant impact among other artists. Everyone from close pals The Jayhawks to
budding songwriter Will Kimbrough left the music trends of the ’90s behind to
tap into Wilco’s rediscovery of ’60s-style craftsmanship. Bill McGarvey is just
the latest musician to jump onto this growing bandwagon, and his recently
released solo debut Tell Your Mother features more than its share of
folk-pop tunes with memorable hooks. Reminiscent of both The Bodeans and The
Jayhawks, McGarvey’s music is sunny and warm, featuring swirling sounds and
buoyant melodies. Dig into his lyrics, however, and one is apt to find that
things aren’t quite so amiable as he explores with a keenly observant eye topics
of love, loss, regret, and the generally dysfunctional nature of human
relationships. Over the past few years, McGarvey has made a name for himself in
the mid-Atlantic fronting Valentine Smith, but given its radio-friendly
disposition, Tell Your Mother should make it possible for him to reach
national acclaim. 
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Tell Your Mother is available from Barnes & Noble.
To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2003 The Music Box