Though he's been releasing albums on his own with his solo project
Jack's Mannequin,
Something Corporate frontman
Andrew McMahon steps out from behind the moniker to release
The Pop Underground, his first solo EP under his own name. Feeling at times like a more grounded and restrained
Jonsi, the album finds
McMahon working in the electronic realm, eschewing the piano for lush synth beds to give songs like "Synesthesia" a warm, flowing feeling. While fans of
McMahon's other work will certainly find familiar threads to grasp,
The Pop Underground is different enough from his other work that it feels like a fitting way for him to reintroduce himself to the world. ~ Gregory Heaney