Reviews
"Despite a name implying the presence of a full-blown band, The Jerrys is just one guy, Jerry Schwartz, playing quaint melodies with a retro flair. His new EP, What The World Could Use A Lot More Of, features five songs of self-proclaimed "treblepop," including the humorous "Polly Urethane" and a straightforward cover of "Nowhere Man." With a total running time of just under 15 minutes, the effort is concise and captivating."
Jeff Berkwits
Illinois Entertainer, June 2009
"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
