Nancyboy
The Gods of Pop have rarely been kind to the progeny of musical artists. Frank Sinatra Jr., Hank Williams Jr., Ziggy Marley, Julian Lennon, Natalie Cole and Liza Minnelli, to name a few, are, by several multiples, artistically less important than their fabulous folks. Sooner or later, though, that formula had to reverse itself, and thanks to Nancyboy—led by Donovan Leitch, son of '60s singing flower child Donovan, and Jason Nesmith, scion of Mike the Monkee—it finally has. On tracks such as "Johnny Chrome & Silver," "Deep Sleep Motel" and the catchy "I Don't Mind," Nancyboy cops a wham-glam-thank-you-ma'am attitude, reminiscent of new wave and glitter rock. Snorting some Ziggy Stardust, Leitch renders this major-label debut's 13 songs like a foppish young David Bowie with a pinch of early Bryan Ferry. Fortunately, he and his bandmates—especially Nesmith, who provides searing guitar solos and tight harmonies—pull it off, thanks to witty lyrics and bouncy melodies that smack of Gary Numan, Blondie and, at times, even Cheap Trick. If Nancyboy wanders too often into retroland, at least they never bore. (Sire/EEG)
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