Lying Through Your Teeth While most fans of Daryl Palumbo’s power pop project, Head Automatica, point to the band’s debut of Decadence as their best work, I am firmly in the camp that Popaganda is the better album. Heavily inspired by the infectious melodies of The Beatles and the upbeat nature of Elvis Costello, Popaganda came storming out of the gate with the bulletproof single of “Graduation Day” that ignited the limitless possibilities of the band. The record was produced by veteran hit-maker Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Saosin), and it has an undeniable sheen to its vibrant sound. The promotional cycle of the record got a bit derailed due to Palumbo’s struggles with Crohn’s disease and the inability to stay on the road as much as he and his bandmates may have wanted. However, giving a fresh listen to this record today is a warm and inviting experience that brought back a flood of positive memories for me during the summer of 2006. It was a CD that spent more time in my car’s player than it did on the shelf, and it stills sounds as urgent and refreshing to this day.
It’s a bit hard to believe that this album was released with very little fanfare, as “Graduation Day” didn’t first hit the radio airwaves until two weeks after the LP release date. Had the album had more of a “push” from Warner Records, Popaganda could have really taken off. The lead single is infectious, and a little known fact about “Graduation Day” is that Gerard Way contributed some backing vocals in the mix. The single helps set the tone for the shimmering nature of the record, and it features some of the best vocal work of Palumbo’s career.
”Laughing At You” is a song that pokes fun of bands who don’t appear to be in on the joke, as the chorus admits, “You don’t got a clue / They’re laughing at you / Laughing, yes it’s true / You don’t even see / They’re laughing at you / Laughing at you to me,” that features some great keyboards from Jessie Nelson. “Lying Through Your Teeth” should’ve been a massive hit for Head Automatica as it checks all of the boxes for a power pop track that would’ve dominated the radio had it received more backing. It rocks similarly to bands like Neon Trees, and Palumbo shimmies and sways all over the track with another captivating vocal performance.
”Nowhere Fast” is dripping with heavy organs from Nelson, while Craig Bonich and Brandon Arnovick’s dual-guitar attack works really well here. Palumbo still remains the star, even as good as the instruments are in this track, and he delivers another great vocal showing. “Scandalous” is a mid-tempo ballad that leans even more heavily into the Elvis Costello influence, while “Curious” is pure bubblegum power pop similar to bands like American Hi-Fi and Ash. “God” rocks with a sense of urgency in the guitars, and is the main song that allows for the instruments to take more of a “center stage” approach than Palumbo’s vocals in the final mix.
Fans of the style of Decadence may have appreciated deep cuts like the Glassjaw-esque “Shot in the Back [The Platypus]” and the 80’s dance floor synths found on “Egyptian Musk”, while the band leans even more into a bass heavy sound on the LP closer of “K Horse”. The back half of the record attempts to please both “types” of Head Automatica fans, and it ends up being a bit of a disjointed listening experience. However, with songs like “Million Dollar Decision” and “She’s Not It”, it’s easy to forgive the band for painting with broad strokes on Popaganda. “Cannibal Girl” has a bit of a 70’s jazz club feel to it and it makes for a cool way of closing out the final moments of the record. Add in a revamped Chris Lord-Alge-assisted mix of the Decadence hit of “Beating Heart Baby”, and you’ve got an album that still holds the test of time and showcases the ultimate “what could’ve been” if the band’s label had given Popaganda the push it deserved.