Title Tracks

When D.C.’s Georgie James split in the summer of 2008, co-frontman John Davis already had an album’s worth of studio-ready songs in his repertoire. It’s not a particularly compelling origin story for Davis’ first solo project, Title Tracks—but the break-up backdrop does provide some insight into the surprisingly melancholy lyrical tone of his debut LP, It Was Easy. Despite a hefty dose of bubbly pop hooks and sing-along melodies, much of It Was Easy has the feel of a heartfelt break-up album, sprinkled with woeful themes of exposed vulnerability, unmet expectations, and wasted energy. Davis’ unabashed love for bridge-heavy power pop stays in the fore throughout the record, which stands as proof that one of D.C.’s few remaining indie-rock mainstays still has plenty of hits left in him.

Updated 02/09/2010