Album Review: Josh Joplin Group – GpYr

I remember watching VH1 back in the early 2000’s and seeing Josh Joplin Group‘s “Camera One” video come on. As a cinephile with dreams of screenwriting stardom, I was immediately struck by Joplin’s knack for metaphorical lyricism and storytelling, using the concept of stardom as a way of uncovering our true selves and taking pride in the people we are.

While the track was a hit for the young songwriter, the artist just as quickly seemed to disappear from the mainstream (as was so often the case in those wild days). It’s not that Joplin stopped making music – he continued writing albums until 2013, before going on a ten year hiatus to focus on his family. While I admit to being in the dark about these further albums, I never forgot about “Camera One”.

Cut to earlier this year, when I was submitted an email announcing Joplin’s return with a new single and a new album, GpYr. Could the enigmatic Josh Joplin Group still entrance me with their songwriting as much as they did back in 2001?

Well I wouldn’t be writing this if they couldn’t. On GpYr, Joplin sounds energized, creating driving pop rock to give life to his unique brand of lyricism.

“Love is like nothing else is” Joplin pleas on opener “Colored Copies”, an upbeat rocker with 80’s guitar tones and lyrics that will have you pause and think (“I’m going backwards over bridges to the place where we begin”). There’s a light streak of Tom Petty in Joplin’s sound, coming through on the emotional “That’s It, You Ghosted Me”, as we follow an empathetic narrator pining for a lover who is not reciprocating our hero’s passion.

First single “Goodbye Berlin” has the same kind of expressive vocals and verve as “Camera One”, with a perfect sing-along chorus. Even stronger is “I’m With Gorillas”, which finds its narrator in a state of contrition (“don’t count my mistakes. I’ve made too many”), and pondering grander thoughts (“We’re not the only ones walking the earth alone”). Yet no matter how idiosyncratic Joplin gets with his narratives, there always remains a relatable nugget to keep his songs grounded.

Stylistically, the album isn’t just relying on that early 00’s minivan rock sound. Joplin proves adept at branching out, from piano-led waltzes (“One More Someone”) to baroque folk pop (“Upstate”, which also adds in a bit of saxophone for some jazzy, E Street Band spirit). You can even hear some upswing ska-guitars on the powerful “Before the Light Takes Us”, a deep-dive into the inevitability of love, the kind you hold onto as tightly as you can (“Our love is so real it’s disappearing. Before the light takes us”).

On the contemplative “The Ice Age is Over”, Joplin states “We are the last ones of our kind.” Thankfully, as far as adult pop rock songwriters with mature lyricism are concerned, artists like Josh Joplin Group are still around and creating music worth hearing. You can listen to the full album on April 4th, and hear the pre-released tracks here.