Kissinger’s Music is like Pop Rocks candy: sugary, crunchy, and slightly explosive. It shouts Austin Powers: all exaggerated moves, gadgets, sleek cars, mod clothes, and girls, girls, girls. It’s the soundtrack to a mall-kid’s life, an episode of Dawson’s Creek, and a John Hughes film all rolled into one. These are compliments. You see, Kissinger is all about chutzpah, sex appeal, and comic flair. Produced by John Croslin (Guided by Voices, Pavement, and Spoon), Charm is just that: ten devil-may-care ditties that wrap in half an hour. Leading the Austin cast is Chopqper (pronounced Chaw-purr), whose gangly frame dangles over his five-string guitar as if he were a praying mantis, aided by guitarist Steve Garvey, drummer o3, and bassist Lucky. There’s substance to match the style, especially in the bouncy, “Consider Bridgette,” which hurls along on Garvey’s meaty, reverberating guitar, and “Kat,” with Peyton Place lyrics masked by a sprightly melody. And for all their posturing, the rough-and-tumble ode to pompous musicians, “Rock n Roll Asshole,” proves that Kissinger doesn’t take the game too seriously.
