This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
A while back, Canuck pop-rocker Jordon Zadorozny of Blinker The Star seemed to win the rock ’n’ roll lottery when Hole bassist Melissa auf der Mar (his former bandmate in Montreal’s Tinker) brought him out to L.A. to help write songs for Celebrity Skin.
In the end, only one collaboration, Reasons To Be Beautiful, ended up on the disc — but if his other ideas sounded anything like August Everywhere, Courtney Love and co. really missed the boat. Like recent records from Fountains Of Wayne and Ben Folds Five, JZ’s third outing is a sophisticated indie-rock / power-pop gem of the highest order, glimmering with lustrous melodies, bittersweet lyrics and fiery dynamics. Recalling a rich raft of ’70s icons from The Cars to Steely Dan, Zadorozny’s rich songcraft and lush arrangements don’t necessarily have you tapping your foot or nodding your head — instead, they just make you listen. It’s a winner.
