It’s no spoiler that 2020 pretty much sucked. That’s why it’s important to celebrate the positives – no matter how small they may be. One such glimmer of sunshine for me was learning about Chicago’s Devon Kay & The Solutions. It was either from an A-F Records livestream, or a Homeless Gospel Choir livestream (who really knows for sure anymore?). Devon did a solo set in support of the new Devon Kay & The Solutions full-length, Limited Joy. I was so stoked with what I heard that I immediately checked out his music.
Limited Joy ended up being another ray of light through the storm clouds of 2020. It’s like one giant tossed salad filled with the best musical ingredients possible – punk, power pop, ska, hardcore, new wave, and rock. It’s just glorious.
Fast forward to the end of last year. Devon Kay & The Solutions released the single “A Little Bit.” Then, they followed it up with “Oh My, Oh My, We’re Far Past That Now” in January. If I were a betting man, I would think it is a safe bet to assume we may be getting another single soon. At least, I hope so. With how much I enjoyed discovering Devon Kay & The Solutions in 2020, I’d welcome as much new music as possible from here on out.
Devon Kay took some time out of his day to give us some insight into what he considers his favorite album, as well as what he considers the most overrated and underrated albums out there.
Favorite Album
“This is obviously an impossible question. On one end, I’d say Get Warmer by Bomb the Music Industry! and on another I’d say Take Back the Universe And Give Me Yesterday by Creeper Lagoon, but when put on the spot my brain always goes to Heads Are Gonna Roll by The Hippos.
I feel like this record was largely overlooked because it was hard to place. Calling it a ska punk record was kind of shorting it. I really felt like it was this fun summery power pop record that grabbed elements from so many different genres of pop and slammed them altogether. It feels like it could have come out in the ’70s or 2002. I fucking love it.
The song “Something” has my favorite guitar and synth soli ever. “The Sand” feels like a campy ’50s beach movie. “Paulina” has this amazing old timey rock party with an old fashioned piano solo that makes my head sweat and so so much more.
I love this record. It’s fitting the songwriter of this band, Ariel Rechshaid, became a mega pop producer for the likes of HAIM, Adele, Vampire Weekend and a bunch of others. Go peep it if you feel like it.”
Most Overrated
“Pfft. What DON’T I think is overrated? I’m gonna say Keasbey Nights by Catch 22. Not because I think it’s a bad record. Not by ANY MEANS. It’s a slammer. I JUST FEEL LIKE MAYBE – JUST MAYBE – I like the post-Tomas Kalnoky Catch 22 album Permanent Revolution better?
Fine. Yeah, I said it. BESIDESSSS, the Streetlight Manifesto remake of Keasbey Nights is far superior almost making the original kind of not worth it anymore.
Permanent Revolution is this wild and ambitious ska/punk record revolving the life of Leon Trotsky, and despite not being perfect, I still think is a cooler idea. Bam. THAT’S AN OPINION!”
Most Underrated
“Devin Davis, Lonely People of the World, Unite! This record is from 2005 and Nick showed it to me on some long drive from a DH show and it just grabbed me. I used it to help outline how I wanted to reboot The Solutions. It’s a beautiful Midwest masterpiece that I think everyone should listen to.
Go start with “Iron Woman,” which is a song I’ve wanted to cover for ages but I can’t seem to get in touch with Devin for permission. “Giant Spiders” has probably my favorite clever lyric that makes me mad I didn’t write it.
No I won’t sit still till I’m upside down in the back of your eyes.
It gives me goosebumps every time. It’s even more impressive that Devin made the album himself over two years and played pretty much all the instruments while also producing it and mixing it. Like a lot of great art that comes from this cold barren hellscape that is the Midwest, it’s lacked the respect it deserves. If you get a second, spend the time with this one. You won’t be disappointed…unless you don’t like it, then you might be.”
