Jr. Juggernaut - Ghost Poison

Jr. Juggernaut
Ghost Poison
Suburban Home Records
Grade: A-

Ghost Poison hits you like an invisible sledgehammer – you never saw it coming but it leaves a hell of a mark. Neither I, you, nor anyone would ever peg Jr. Juggernaut as coming from the pseudo-world of LA – with their rootsy, alt-country punk rock accompanied by raw vocals you’d pick someplace like Richmond or other southern locales. If you are a fan of bands like Drag the River, Lucero, or even the Constantines, you should check out Ghost Poison today.

Founded in 2003, Jr. Juggernaut is simply the trio of Mike Williamson, Kevin Keller, and Waleed Rashidi, who combine blistering guitars with undeniable Americana punk harmonies. After releasing the EP Cut It Brighter in 2005, Williamson horned in Keller and Rashidi to complete the band’s first full-length, Ghost Poison. This ten-song offering walks a fine line between sounding like a local bar band and a well-oiled, smooth machine. And that is part of their appeal. When I hear Jr. Juggernaut, I think of Pennsylvania band called Gleason’s Drift that has a similar sound but has never executed like Jr. Juggernaut. Besides from better melodies and harmonies, it is not clear how Jr. Juggernaut excels past bar band status – it may simply be the magical ‘it.’

Ghost Poison starts in enticing fashion on “Lit by Winter,” where Williamson begins slowly and first employs his raw vocals. Well into “Lit by Winter” it is still not clear whether Jr. Juggernaut are good or even if they are more country than rock. Any doubts about either are quickly dashed by follower “Believe in Something” – a song that rocks to a scratchy but catchy guitar riff. Forming a triumphant of awesomeness is the third song “Coming in Backwards.” “Coming in Backwards” doesn’t strike you at all until the band hits the chorus and makes you a believer that Jr. Juggernaut are the real deal. Naturally, Jr. Juggernaut have difficulty on the rest of Ghost Poison in replicating the superiority of the first three songs. However, several do grab your ear including the poppy “Gone Before You Start” and the very Social Distortion-esque “Another Two Weeks.”

Ghost Poison is not nearly the best album of the year, but the album and the band are one of the most unexpected delights of 2008. And any happy surprise these days is welcoming. Now we just have to figure out the hell the deal is with their moniker.