The Jerrys

Reviews

"[Best of the Jerrys] sounds like a cross between Toothpaste 2000 and those Jetset (and related) singles that appeared on Little Teddy in the early 90s, with basic Beatles-inspired indiepop songs (including a cover of "Ticket To Ride") and silly, pop culture-themed lyrics with titles like "Ann Taylor Girl" and "I Even Love You More Than Elizabeth Hurley"...there are definitely some fun tunes on here, like "Telepop" (which is also featured as an instrumental version near the end), "Bridget And Me," and "Now And You."

IndiePages, May 29, 2006

"I guess it’s kind of weird for your first album by a band you’ve never heard of to be labeled a "Best of." Despite the pluralism in the name, this is the work of just Jerry Schwartz. Chicago’s guitarist/musician would probably be just as suited to claim London as his home. How do you know he’s influenced by Brit-pop? He covers "Ticket to Ride." His songs aren’t bad and he definitely has some lyrical twists."

J-Sin
Smother Magazine, April 2, 2006

"Jerryrigged is a "done it all by myself" collection of pop songs by Jerry Schwartz (aka The Jerrys). Knowing a good tune when he hears it, Schwartz wisely recaps the opening "Telepop"--possibly snatched from post-Brit Invasion '60s--as an instrumental-only closer....Clearly, Schwartz has solid pop talent and vision."

David C. Eldredge
Illinois Entertainer, April 2004

"The Jerrys adhere to the same timeless post-British Invasion pop aesthetic that worked wonders for the likes of the Spongetones, 20/20, Dwight Twilley Band, Tommy Keene, Matthew Sweet, and the aforementioned Shoes. Neither “911” nor “Walking the Talk” would have sounded out of place on any early Shoes LP.

"Like all good guitar pop groups, The Jerrys take inspiration from the Beatles and Byrds and somehow manage to make a 40-year-old formula sound fresh and vital. Schwartz knows he’s not reinventing the wheel here. But he knows how to write a song with a melody, and he shows that he can get the job done minus the big-budget production and slick studio harmonies that often make pop bands sound better than they really are. Schwartz’s jangly, well-crafted tunes don’t break new ground, but they’re likable, pleasant, and catchy. And his nasally, slightly-dorky vocals are kind of charming in an odd sort of way.

"Every good pop record needs at least one “hit,” and here the hit is “Ann Taylor Girl,” an infectious, straight-ahead smash that marries Big Star-ish power pop splendor to distorted guitar racket a la The Who’s “I Can See for Miles” (You gotta love a songwriter who can come up with a line like "She's the anniest girl in the world"!) Also worth a listen is the playful, insidiously catchy opener “Telepop,” which is as tuneful and quirky as any first-rate “new wave pop” hit circa 1978.

"All in all, Jerryrigged [is] a pretty damn good EP. At only five songs (or six, if you count both versions of “Telepop”), it left me wanting more. That’s a good sign."

Joshua Rutledge
Now Wave Magazine

"Will the whole world sing? Well, let me state that [Schwartz] does have an appeal. The songs are Merseybeat-oriented pop, and are pretty catchy....There is definitely a cheesy quality that is common with basement tapes (a by-product of total self-control on relatively inexpensive equipment), but that should not deter the listener to this sound. It's important to support mega-solo artists, and Schwartz sweetens the deal."

RBF
Shredding Paper No. 11

"The Jerrys actually sound a lot like many of those American bands that hopped on the British Invasion bandwagon back in the 60's. Their (his) heart seems to be in the right place...sounds pleasant enough. A nice alternate name for the band might be Pronoun Trouble."

Conrad Teves
Demorama