Reilly poisons pop expectations

Often viewed as the working-class symbol of indie rock, Ike Reilly has established an extremely loyal and relatively large fan base. His use of Dylanesque lyrics and his extremely eclectic skills have been too obvious to ignore, making fans of a wide range of musicians. A regular Joe from Libertyville, Ill., he has made a living of combining immensely catchy hooks and melodies with stories and lyrics that actually mean something.

Unlike major artists today, Reilly releases albums very quickly compared to the standards and expectations of the current music industry, putting out three albums in the past four years. Poison the Hit Parade, the follow-up to his 2007 album We Belong to the Staggering Evening, continues his tradition of providing thought-provoking lyrics with catchy riffs.

It’s important to note that almost all of the songs on the album are either cuts that didn’t make it on previous albums or are merely different versions of songs that have indeed been heard before (“Hip Hop Thighs #16”). While it may be more exciting to hear brand new, never-before-released material, luckily the music is still fantastic.

Fans of garage rock will enjoy the title track “Poison the Hit Parade” and “Janie Doesn’t Lie,” which sounds vaguely like “Commie Drives a Nova,” his popular song from Salesmen and Racists. He presents obvious folkish styles on “Lust Song #78” and “Duty Free,” a reminiscence of his friends going on road trips across the U.S. and Canada. The slower, sometimes harmony induced “Farewell to the Good Times” is a great listen for any student leaving behind friends or going home for the summer.

Like most of his songs, sing-along choruses are the norm. Lyrics such as “It’s been well-said you’re well read, high-strung, well-hung winner from stern to stem” will remind any staunch follower of Bob Dylan of “Ballad of a Thin Man” and even “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” “We had a good time ... and then all the people went home when the lights went down,” he sings on the last track, called “It’s All Right to Die.” It’s a perfect finish to the album and would be welcome into any Jack White fan’s iPod.

While fans of Reilly will anxiously await the release of brand-new material, this collection of demos and tweaked, previously-released tunes will more than suffice.