Every once in a while you hit the jackpot with something completely unexpected. By combining pop melodies, youthful swagger, and a love of classic R&B, L.A.-based trio Everybody Else blew me away with their self-titled debut record. Most power-pop bands get by on hooks alone, but Everybody Else, who took their name from an obscure Kinks song, succeed because of the quality, diversity and accessibility of their songs. They're equally at home with the sexy bounce of "Meat Market" as they are with the Raspberries power chords of "Without You" or the acoustic balladry of "Button For Punishment."
I recently spoke with Carrick Moore Gerety, the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Everybody Else, whose confidence and intelligence belie his 24 years. I could have talked with him for hours about his record collection, but instead, we focused mostly on his band.
I was looking at the influences on your MySpace page and just about everything you list as an influence is in my record collection.
We're definitely into a lot of old music, but also a lot of new music, too. Some people have criticized the fact that they couldn't put us into a genre, and that's what I like most about us, actually. All the artists I admire kind of created their own genre and, if you're original enough, you're gonna do something that doesn't quite exactly fit anything.
Calling it classic power-pop is a perfectly good tag.
I've had a problem with power-pop, partly because people have always used that to describe my music, and, in a vacuum, that makes sense because it's pop and it's got some balls to it. But what scares me is that everything that's considered power-pop is sort of only appreciated by music nerds and never became huge, music that's really brainy and won't become accessible to the masses.
Yeah, I'm a big fan of The New Pornographers, but lyrically, they're so dense and obtuse that you can't get to the emotion of it. But you guys, and I think this is where your R&B influence comes in – with the economy and structure of classic soul – you're keeping the emotion in the songs.
Article comments
1 - Delilah
I believe that Carrick is one of the most intelligent singer/song-writers out at the moment. The band EbE, has this edge that is somewhat undefined, but definitely danceable. Their lyrics are outstanding, and I'm glad EbE is getting out to the masses.
2 - Dave Lifton
I completely agree about the lyrics. As I said in the interview, he's not going out of his way to show how clever he is. He's concentrating more on making sure that the songs have emotional impact, which at the same time being able not having to dumb his work down (when has Proust ever been referenced in a rock song?).
Anyway, the interview is now up as the newest episode of my podcast.
3 - Casey
OMG I was at the Boise show and they kicked ass. I had so much fun that night! And Austin is a real sweetheart to the fans.....can't say that abou the other bands they were with.
4 - Wendy L
I think Carrick has an amazing voice, I listen to it everyday in my car and can't get enough of the music this band makes. I love the stories that each song tells, they are so real and even though they might not have anything to do with what's going on in your life they hit home in a special kind of way. That and he's kinda cute...hehe.
5 - Cynthia
I saw them at the roxy when they opened up for "Rooney", they were so awesome they won me over instantly. I thought Carrick did a KICK ASS rendition of "Helter Skelter" his voice was incredible!