There’s no delicate way to say this. I think The Ergs are geniuses. I adored their Ben Kweller EP, but missed something. I loved it as a simple pop album. On Dorkrockcorkrod (it’s a palindrome!) it’s easier to hear a lot of the complexities that are going on behind the guise of pop. It’s like Rivethead, where I just thought it was the hooks that had me listening to it all the time, but then I began to pay closer attention. They’re all proficient players, and when you listen to what’s going on in the background of the songs you hear some interesting things. I actually hear a strong jazz influence, but it never overrides the pop (which has a lot more power in the pop than the EP) and don’t worry, it never even steps close to fusion. Broken-hearted lyrics prevail from their Carpenter-style set-up (you know, the drummer sings). Incredibly infectious – I listened to it fourteen times yesterday.
–megan (Whoa Oh)