Local Album Review // Jared Cooney // Icebergs
4.25 stars out of 5
It's not often that you find a musician so technically accomplished who also happens to be a fantastic songwriter and lyricist. There tends to be a trade-off in one direction or the other. Not so with Jared Cooney. The talented lead guitarist behind Mayflower Hill, Six Year Stretch, and Matthew Crays' band has released his third full-length album, and it's nothing short of astounding. Those familiar with Cooney's style will know what to expect, with lightning-fast guitar flourishes, finger tapping, and plenty of triumphantly soothing chord suspensions. To the uninitiated, it may be a little jaw-dropping. The magic trick that Cooney pulls off, though, is that he makes it sound like second nature, with catchy hooks and an emotional realness that shows. These are acoustic pop songs, brilliantly written and performed with gusto by Cooney and his bandmates Nick Bufalino on bass and Matt Froehlich on drums. From the dark theatrical opening march of "The Decline" to the uptempo mass appeal of "Good Intentions" to the stirring, hymn-like grandeur of "Generations," Cooney is painting a picture and telling a story. With an apt cover and title, the eight tracks of Icebergs have a depth worth investigating, including a nod to the popular neuroscientist (Jared Cooney Horvath) who shares two-thirds of Cooney's name.
