www.aversion.comGhost Poison
Jr. Juggernaut
Suburban Home Records
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Jr. Juggernaut just put out the album that Armchair Martian fans always wished Drag the River would have got around to making.
Sounding equally influenced by Jon Snodgrass' noisy punk-rockin' Armchair trio and his later forays into alt-country with Chad Price in Drag (and primarily influenced by those ends), Jr. Juggernaut's Ghost Poison is the sort of album that instinctually knows being a former rocker with a love of country just isn't interesting enough to cut it anymore. You have to find your niche outside of recreating Old Country and paying tribute to Johnny, Merle and Hank.
Find its niche Jr. Juggernaut sure does. A country-rock outfit that's not afraid to bring the thunder, the trio fast-forwards the country evolution a few decades past punk's Golden Era infatuations to cross-breed modern punk with the country-rock of the '70s, while tossing in just a touch of Springsteen-esque rock into the mix for good measure. And if the formula isn't exactly the most groundbreaking notion, JJ does it with enough heart and conviction to sell the country-rock-punk thing beyond the sadly limited Armchair/Drag fan bases.
The secret to the band's debut isn't its roots-punk hybrid, but the patently pop three-part harmonies that tie it all together. Yeah, it's like that whole punk, country-rock, heartland rock hybrid wasn't specific enough, so Jr. Juggernaut needed to cram some power-trio bits into it. Don't think we're complaining. "Early Morning Blackout" begins as a squall of speaker-tearing distortion then metamorphoses into a country-rock weepie wrapped up in spiky punk guitar shrapnel. Mike Williamson's husky smoker's voice makes him sound like Snodgrass' long-lost brother, and in tunes like "Another Two Weeks" and "Believe in Something" he milks his whiskey-and-Marlboro delivery for all the soul it's worth, and the layers of vocals only help to underscore that, below the drawling vocals and big, booming guitars, Jr. Juggernaut has a heart of gold. It doesn't hurt that drummer Waleed Rashidi bashes at his kit like he's dead-set to beat the country overtones back by pure smash power alone. He does, sort of, leaving Ghost Poison exalting in a sliver between punked-up alt-country and classic-rock loving punk we never knew existed until now.
4 out of 5 stars
- Matt Schild
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www.lmnop.comJr. Juggernaut - Ghost Poison (CD, Suburban Home, Pop/rock)
Rootsy American pop/rock with guts. This is the first full-length release from this Los Angeles, California-based trio...and it cooks.
Instead of dressing up like freaks and tossing out studio effects for their listeners to gobble up, these guys keep things simple and deliver their songs without unnecessary fanfare. Jr. Juggernaut is Mike Williamson (vocals, guitars), Kevin Keller (bass, vocals), and Waleed Rashidi (drums, vocals). The best way we could describe this band's sound is to say that they sound something like Bob Mould fronting an Americana band.
It is interesting to note the extreme commercial potential here. Instead of churning out noisy rock that could only appeal to young fans, these guys write hit songs. All ten of the tracks on Ghost Poison sound very much like major hits. Songs are what make this album such a thoroughly pleasing experience. Killer cuts include "Lit By Winter," "Believe in Something" (a really great cut), "Wailing West," and "The Beehive." (Rating: 5)
_________________________________________________MAMMOTH PRESSwww.mammothpress.comGhost Posion Jr. Juggernaut Reviewed by: John-Michael Bond [Sat, May 17, 2008 @ 11:15:30 PM] To make your own Jr. Juggernaut album seems relatively simple. Take a little sprinkle of the best and brightest of American guitar rock in the last thirty years and compile them all into a mixtape, fill a trash can with ice and at least three twelve packs of PBR, invite some friends over and have your self a party. Then via the use of magic or advanced science (I prefer magic), inject that experience into your speakers and rock out. Of course since your access to magic and advanced science is limited it would probably be faster to just order Ghost Poison and buy yourself some beer. There is a little bit of something to satisfy fans of all the greats; tastes of Springsteen, Husker Du, the Replacements, Gin Blossoms, and even Dinosaur Jr. Vocalist Mike Williamson provides the soulful baritone of a bar room jukebox hero, pouring tears in his beer while inciting the next round. No matter how sad these songs about hard times and lost loves might be Jr. Juggernaut manages to keep a party vibe over the whole affair; which is fitting. Rock in roll in America has always been a way of venting the up's and down's of life while providing the soundtrack for good times. Ghost Poison does just that in spades. Whether you're looking for tunes for you next BBQ, or just bemoaning the lack of a good rock radio station in your home town, this debut from Jr. Juggernaut won't disappoint your need for a couple chords and a great hook. 8 out of 10 RIYL: Lucero, Bruce Springsteen, Husker Du or the Replacements ___________________________________________________PASTE PUNKwww.pastepunk.comJR. JUGGERNAUT "Ghost Poison" (Suburban Home) Review by Jordan A. Baker DRAG THE RIVER might be the alt-country/rock band on Suburban Home that catches everyone's attention, but after digesting Ghost Poison, I'm not so sure that JR. JUGGERNAUT isn't the better band.
Self-described as "American guitar rock," Los Angeles' JR. JUGGERNAUT mesmerize with a collection of 10 poignant, geeeetar rockin' jams that are abundantly rich in melody, honest vibes, and a bit of power to boot. It feels so empty to rely on the crutch of "American Rock," in detailing the band, but JR. JUGGERNAUT weren't exactly hiding their influences onGhost Poison. A little Bruce Springteen here; a harder number that reminds me of DINOSAUR JR. over there; a flicker of HUSKER DU that glosses over the whole thing. Who can turn away any of that?
Vocalist Mike Williamson has a booming voice that could fill a noisy bar with barely a strain. Williamson is neither depressing or overblown in his vocal style. Rather, there's a degree of professional coolness (especially on "Coming In Backwards") to his voice that makes it seem like JR. JUGGERNAUT have been cutting albums for more than a decade (they haven't). I have yet to discover a flaw in Ghost Poison, and I think it's time I stopped looking - this release has a universal appeal to it in the most flattering of lights. - You can stream all of Ghost Poison here, via Aversion.com www.suburbanhomerecords.com___________________________________________
www.punknews.orgJr. Juggernaut
Ghost Poison 2008Suburban Home
Review by: RocketFuel
The genre of alt-country has seen a resurgence as of late. Bands like Drag the River, Limbeck, Lucero and many others are picking up where Wilco and Son Volt left off. One of those bands who have picked up that torch and added their own spark to it is Jr. Juggernaut. To promote their album, Ghost Poison, Surburban Home allowed it to be downloaded free of charge to the first 200 people to visit a specific site. I am no fan of country music. I could not care less about Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts or Carrie Underwood, as I am sure you will agree. But the sounds of Jr. Juggernaut take a hard turn into rock. Channeling the energy of Hüsker Dü and the style of Dinosaur Jr., Jr. Juggernaut delivers an album with hard-driving beats with pop sensibility. Mike Williamson's lyrics cover such topics as family, relationships and death and the instrumentation masterfully blands grit, pop and sonic boom. If you plan on having some friends over this summer for some beer (PBR perhaps?) and some good 'ol fashioned BBQ, Ghost Poison by Jr. Juggernaut is the perfect soundtrack to that sun-soaked afternoon.
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http://soundaslanguage.com
Music Review - Jr. Juggernaut "Ghost Poison"
Over the years, the evolution of Suburban Home Records has been fascinating to watch. The label started out putting out pop-punk for the most part yet has morphed into a completely different beast. You have the alt-country flair covered with Drag The River, the dirty folk covered by Tim Barry, the pop-punk grandeur handled by The Playing Favorites, and now you have Jr. Juggernaut kicking out some good ole rustic rock n' roll. Sounding similar to the more rock leanings of Drag The River, Jr. Juggernaut have an endearing sincerity to their songs. It is kind of similar to those old Gin Blossoms radio songs that got stuck in your head for days. And it still happens to me as my favorite local grocery always seems to have the Gin Blossoms playing in their rotation. Jr. Juggernaut have that same instant pop sensibility but without the guilt. The band also reminds me of one of my early 90's favorites, Buffalo Tom. Both bands added a subtle country flair to their sounds. Though the album is over forty minutes long, the songs run by quick and has plenty of ear candy to digest. Ghost Poison may not be be an album I reach for a great deal after this review but it deserves to be heard no less.
Genre: Rock/Pop/Americana
RIYL: Drag The River, Gin Blossoms, Buffalo Tom
Label: Suburban Home
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http://tonedeaframbler.wordpress.com 10 06 2008 
Hailing from the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California, Jr. Juggernaut have put out an album of power pop, country, and punk infused rock that once it's entered your brain, it refuses to get out. The band's first full length album, Ghost Poison, is front to back, one hit song after another (sans the instrumental "Midnight Mass", which provides an interesting break in the middle of the album). Oh, if only radio still played good bands, these guys would be huge. Jr. Juggernaut, featuring Mike Williamson on guitar and lead vocals, Wal Rashidi on drums, and Kevin Keller on bass, strike the fine balance of writing songs that have great hooks while maintaining a power trio sounds that makes you want to pump your fist and sing along. Williamson sings with a gruffness in his voice and his heart on his sleeve that grabs the listener in and doesn't let go. He may be singing about typical rock 'n' roll themes, (lost love and life's trials and tribulations) he does so in such an honest, relatable way that it doesn't matter how many times you've heard someone sing about it, it still sounds fresh. Ghost Poison is an album that is perfect for summertime cruising with the windows down, wind in your hair, and the stereo up and Jr. Juggernaut have proven themselves to a band to watch.
Standout Track: "Another Two Weeks"
+++HIGHLY RECOMMENDED+++
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http://www.aidabet.com/
Jr. Juggernaut Ghost Poison (Suburban Home) Suburban Home specializes in punk-tinged country music, often coming in trio form. Most often, its bands owe old school (No Depression, Still Feel Gone) Uncle Tupelo a great debt--even while carving out their own little piece of the sound. That's pretty much what Jr. Juggernaut does, too.
Which is cool by me. Uncle Tupelo was the house band of my college years at Missouri, so I kinda have an emotional connection to this style. Jr. Juggernaut is more muscular than most. In many ways, these boys have more of a Blasting Room sound than many bands that record at the Descendents HQ.
Behind that throbbing wall lies some really nice thinking. These songs may be bashed out with abandon, but they're put together with grace and care. Not many bands can sound gentle even while thrashing out rootsy riffs at 11. These boys certainly do have a special talent.
And they're from California. California? I feel like I'm in that old salsa commercial. California? Good music works everywhere, I suppose. And these boys sure do good music right. Lovely noise.
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www.musicemissions.com
Jr. Juggernaut - Ghost Poison
Album Details
Ghost Poison is record with a heartful of soul. Combining the working class alt-country of Uncle Tupelo and Ass Ponys, with a sonic touch of punk, JR. Juggernaut is another Seattle band with a bad name that makes great music.
Guitarist/Vocalist Mike Williamson at first, on "Lit By Winter" and "Believe in Something," seems to be aiming for a level of passion that his voice may not be able to reach. What saves the tunes from bar-band level is his guitar work, and sharp lyrics. His voice, though, blossoms big as the record advances, and "Gone Before You start" and "Midnight Mass" ought already to be standards of the genre. Heartache and heavy riffs abound here, and "Breathing, Grieving" and the closer, "The Beehive," are almost epic.
The band has shared the bill with the likes of Drag The River, Gourds and Burden Brothers. JR. Juggernaut belong in their league. Powerful, literate and Crazy Horse when they wanna be, the band is inspired throughout, and they sound as big as their themes. "Ghost Poison" is as solid and evocative an Americana release as you are likely to hear this year.
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www.absolutepunk.net
Jr. Juggernaut - Ghost Poison
Posted on 07/20/08 by Susan Frances
Jr. Juggernaut -
Ghost Poison Record Label: Suburban Home Records Release Date: April 29, 2008 Jr. Juggernaut have their hands so deep in blues rock that it is believable they were trained by such aficionados of the blues as Gary "US" Bonds and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The Los Angeles-based heartland rock/Americana trio show the weathered country soles of Drag The River and the proud Americana stamina of Two Cow Garage. Jr. Juggernaut take audiences through music inspired by driving long hours on dusty back roads and playing in tucked away roadhouses, all of it manifesting into their latest release,
Ghost Poison. Produced by Jr. Juggernaut,
Ghost Poison is gritty Southern rock with folk-blues trimmings which speak about America and relate to its populace on a personal level.
The band builds their album brick by brick, each piece layered on top of the next like precipitating raindrops streaming down a window pane falling on top of each other pushing the first one further down the glass. The band's 3-part harmonies work this way. The rhythm section of Kevin Keller on bass and Waleed Rashidi on drums being one part, and guitarist Mike Williamson and his vocals being the second and third tier, touching down on each other and falling like raindrops down a sheet of glass. Track after track reveals a smoky blues/garage rock resonance in Williamson's vocals and raveling guitar chords until the album heads South from its Mid-west of America origin with the soulful rock aria of "Midnight Mass." The album kicks up the tempo with the roots rock influenced "Gone Before You Start" which is sweetened by wavy harmonica phrases. This is rock music with an Americana fuse. It's brethren are The Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young and Gary "US" Bonds. Its fan base is blue collar America as the band infuses a working class theme in their music.
Jr. Juggernaut's first full length release on Suburban Home Records,
Ghost Poison speaks from the deep sentimental that the band has for Mid-west America. Their strong ties to blues rock is liken to Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and their sense of playing in harmony shows that their egos are left at the door when the trio enters the recording studio. Jr. Juggernaut are towing along the line that has brought the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Allman Brothers Band to the forefront and made blue collar rock reputable. Jr. Juggernaut do a fine job of keeping these fires burning.
Author's Rating
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www.canyouseethesunset.com
Posted on 27 August 2008 | No Comments
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Is it just me or has Suburban Home seriously become one of the best record labels around? Another of their excellent recent releases is Jr. Juggernaut's Ghost Posion. Full of hard-driving but twangy country-tinged rock that makes you want to put the top down and drive fast down a dusty gravel road Jr. Juggernaut has a sound that is equal parts Buffalo Tom and Drag The River. Or maybe Husker Du and Uncle Tupelo. Whatever the comparison, Ghost Poison is filled with red-blooded muscle car music but not in the testosterone-filled way you might think. This is the soundtrack to the lives of guys who get up early on cold winter mornings before the sun is even up and head out for a day at the mill or the construction site. With boots and coat on and waiting for the pickup truck to warm up and the frosted windows to clear. Just waiting for things to finally work out.
Ghost Poision is an affecting album with both it's power and it's melody. Also striking are the blisteringly violent (almost J Mascis like) guitar solos full of catharsis and release. Sounds like Boston meets the Front Range if you ask me and that can't possibly be anything but a good thing. It is a loud rock album with more than enough melody and hooks to satisfy your sweet tooth and enough roots that you won't forget where this comes from.
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http://theacrowd.blogspot.com
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.
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www.spacecityrock.com
Jr. Juggernaut
Ghost Poison
There's something warm and genuine-sounding about this disc that really gets me in those interior spaces I don't think about too much most of the time. I mean, it's hard to mine the roots-rock thing and not throw off a Mellencampian, small-town-homesick vibe, sure, but Jr. Juggernaut manage to go above and beyond roots-by-numbers and come up with something real on Ghost Poison. They meld together the fuzzy-edged pop/rock of the late '90s (think Gin Blossoms, or occasionally Buffalo Tom) with the out-and-out alt-country sound of Lucero or Son Volt and graft the whole thing to some Springsteenian lyricism and Replacements-ish swagger; it's all Neil Young guitars, imperfect (yet tuneful) sing-along choruses, bitterly sweet melodies, and comfortingly familiar rhythms. There're echoes of Old 97's here, as well as indie roots-rock barnburners Blackpool Lights, who are probably Jr. Juggernaut's closest contemporary musical cousins.
The best tracks on Ghost Poison are the ones that grab hold of the roots-country rock anthem motif and just don't let go. There's album opener "Lit By Winter," which is jangly and warm like the best things The Jayhawks ever did and the chorus of which practically begs you to add your own harmony vocals. It's jaw-dropping, despite the fact that it's pretty much the audio diary of a kinda-creepy (if admittedly romantic) stalker; it's possibly the most endearing song about stalking since "Every Breath You Take." The song's actually kind of a microcosm of the band's whole appeal -- it's sweet but rough around the edges at the same time, with an anthemic, impossible-not-to-sing-along-to chorus, a downhome feel, and a warm, gentle cheeriness about it, in spite of the somewhat odd story that unfolds in the lyrics.
The same holds true for "Gone Before You Start," which is rolling and country-tinged rock that's heartbreaking once you listen more closely to the lyrics and realize what the song's about; after you've hit that point, it becomes both beautiful and crushingly sad. "Believe In Something" starts off a little preachy and born-again-y (and yeah, there's a bit of talking 'bout the Big Man Upstairs on this disc) but builds to an impassioned roar, and "Coming In Backward" makes me think (favorably) of Teenage Fanclub's rootsiest moments, grafted onto guitars from Blackpool Lights' "The Truth About Love." All the tracks mentioned above, incidentally, pretty much drop me where I stand, as does oddball acoustic instrumental "Midnight Mass," which is more meditative and peaceful than I honestly thought the blues could ever be.
Ghost Poison's not perfect, of course -- there's a handful of missteps on here, like the dirty grind of "Early Morning Blackout," which is actually a decent song (and probably the most "rock" song of the bunch, with seriously crunchy distortion and honest-to-God solos) but which drags on without a whole lot to propel it forward. At 6:08, it's the longest track of the album, and I hate to say it, but you definitely feel it.
"Breathing, Grieving" and "The Beehive," for their part, are both just kind of "eh," breezing past without making much of an impression and making me want to skip back around to the beginning to listen to "Lit By Winter" one more time. With songs like that one to go back to, I'm not real bummed about a few clunkers in the pile.
(Jeremy Hart // 10/17/08)
BUY ME:
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BIG TAKEOVER
Jr Juggernaut
Ghost Poison
These alt.country ramblers sound more like Springsteen to me than The Hold Steady does - it's working class rural rock played by guys in flannels, t-shirts and jeans. No pretenses, no overarching messages in the songs, just straight up rock with the slightest twang that sounds better and better with each bottle of cheap beer you knock back.
Like labelmates Drag the River and Two Cow Garage (man, Suburban Home is quickly becoming my favorite label), Jr. Juggernaut has studied Uncle Tupelo's blueprints and expanded on the sound laid down by the forebearers of the alt.country movement . "Lit by Winter", "Wailing West," and "Gone Before You Start" explode with energy while the ghost of Crazy Horse makes itself heard with on the close "The Beehive."
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