For the latest information on the band 1803, please visit www.myspace.com/jonchinn1803

ALBUM REVIEWS

75 OR LESS
Though this CD is technically a solo album from Pretty Mighty Mighty frontman Jon Chinn, the singer receives help from members of his own band and other Columbus heavyweights like Miranda Sound, Tiara, and Templeton. With his gentle Bob Mould-like voice ("Record Sets," "All About"), Chinn is a poignant and elegant songwriter. His poetic lyrics are intimate and bittersweet and the addition of stringed instruments such as the cello on "King's Horse" make this one of the warmest, most captivating releases of the year. - chip

SPLENDID EZINE
Charming and utterly unassuming, I Can't Believe You Live Like That is a pop tour de force brimming with cold-water serenades, ingenious arrangements and fiery guitar rave-ups. After spending a dozen years as a member of power-poppers Pretty Mighty Mighty, Chinn has developed a keen ear for sublime melody. He's at the top of his game here, firing off the cutting opener "Lying Through Your Teeth", and the distinctly Westerbergian allegations of "Record Sets" in quick succession. His sweet, slightly fractured voice recalls both Matthew Sweet and Elliot Smith, as do his vibrant, multi-layered compositions -- particularly as he tiptoes his way through wounded-heart stunners "Stop Being So Dramatic" and "King's Horses". Perhaps the most impressive thing about I Can't Believe You Live Like That is the way that Chinn sidesteps the major pitfalls that plague most modern singer/songwriters -- trite lyrics, suffocating whining and an over-reliance on acoustic instrumentation. Instead, he roughs up his dulcet confections with cotton candy-on-fire guitars ("All About") and rude blasts of fizzy electronics ("Last Night"). The sleeper hit of the summer has finally arrived -- and just in time.

PLAYBACK MAGAZINE
“Dont label this sensitive singer/songwriter; its a turbo-charged blast of crunching power-chord guitar riffs, pumping beats, and flawless pop hooks. In the same class as Bob Mould, Guided by Voices, or Blinker the Star, Jon Chinn holds his own.”
-Brandy Johnson

LEFTOFTHEDIAL.COM
Jon Chinn: I Can't Believe You Live Like That
You walk into some dimly lit room, weaving your way through people casually leaning against columns and sitting on swanky little footstool-like chairs, engaged in conversation.  A guy puts one hand through his tousled hair and with the other takes the hand of his girlfriend, looks deep into her eyes and begins to speak from his heart.  She looks as though she’s going to cry.  The waitress brings her friend a low foam skinny vanilla latte.  The sound of an acoustic guitar weaves through the air.  The soft and subtle sound of I Can’t Believe You Live Like That is the soundtrack. The radio-friendly first track “Lying through Your Teeth” sets the musical stage for the next nine tracks to follow.  The only trouble is, when you reach the end and try to think of what you’ve just heard, it’s hard to conjure up much more than a blend of distortion, acoustic guitar and Jon’s voice in some nondescript manner.  That is except during my first listen when I got to the chorus of track three, “Stop Being So Dramatic,” and heard “hold me now, I’m worthless to the world/hold me now what do I know I’m just a girl.”  I just thought….wait, what….backup.  And then listen to some more…oh ok, I get it.  I even had it in the car when someone else was with me and I saw the same look I must’ve had on my face during the first chorus, that “what the…?” look and then later the “Oh” look.  Good times. The title track and album closer has Jon singing softly with a piano, sounding as if the music is blaring out through your grandma’s dusty old record player.  Did I just hear the piano “skip”?  The lyrics, “this is day two of the job that makes you want to shoot yourself in the head” suddenly reminded me that I need to update my resume.  Jon’s sentimental voice and heartfelt lyrics are gentle and non-offensive, blending nicely with his primarily acoustic debut album.  It’s a strong first effort from the PrettyMightyMighty frontman with a circle of friends leaning in for support, including members of the band.  The record was recorded in his own Workbook Studio in Columbus, Ohio with good quality.  The sincere collection of songs, however, left me feeling as though something was missing, maybe more versatility despite the very final sound of the record player’s head pulling off the vinyl at the end of track ten.
-Lisa Town