Reggie and the Full Effect: Under The Tray : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Get Up Kids' keyboardist, multi-instrumentalist and satirist James DeWees assumes the name of Reggie and opens Under with a cheeky, confident lyrical accusation: "Tell me, what were you thinking?/Spending all your time looking for something new/You'd better swim 'cause you're sinking." Reggie blesses and curses everything we love to hate about the current state of derivative pop, and the result is as infectious as it is laughable. From his feigned British accent on the two-steppin' New Order meets Kylie Minogue "Mood 4 Luv (featuring Fluxuation)" to his spot-on Maladroit cut, "What Won't Kill You Eats Gas", DeWees flaunts his ability to easily mimic and chide most of the cookie-cutter flavors American radio has to offer in 2K3. Even DeWees himself isn't safe; he mocks nu-metal and party punk with "Linkin Verbs" and "Apocalypse WOW", despite his longtime involvement with like-minded hardcore outfit Coalesce. Reggie's ironic gimmick is executed with a level of care that suggests a love/hate relationship with derivative music trends -- but the easy road he chooses to travel is no different from what he mimics.

JOAN HILLER
(February 18, 2003)