If Jim Infantino had remained in folk and continued to roam Boston's coffeehouses, he would have been perfect for the East Coast anti-folk scene -- a place where singer/songwriters like New York's Lach and Philadelphia's Adam Brodsky have combined their acoustic guitars and affection for Bob Dylan with the sort of biting, edgy, aggressive lyrics one associates with punk. Lyrically, Infantino has too much bite -- too much of an irreverent sense of humor -- to be a totally traditional folkie, although he has what it takes to be part of the folk-rock aggression that is anti-folk. But instead of continuing to travel in a folk-oriented direction, the Bostonian switched to alternative pop/rock when he founded Jim's Big Ego in the '90s -- and creatively, this has probably been for the best. Sure, it's fun to speculate on what might have transpired if Infantino had remained in the coffeehouses, but here's what can be said for certain: They're Everywhere gives listeners another reason to have a favorable opinion of the singer/songwriter's alternative pop/rock direction. The influences that have served Jim's Big Ego well in the past -- Everclear, Cake, Ween, Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds Five, Weezer -- usually serve him well on this 2003 release. The band hasn't lost its knack for songs that are appealingly tuneful, and Infantino's sense of humor is a definite asset on clever, quirky offerings like "Party on the Everglades" and "Math Prof Rock Star." Even if you don't agree with every social and political assertion that Infantino has ever made, there is no denying that he can be quite witty. They're Everywhere is mildly uneven -- some of the songs hold up better than others -- but all things considered, this CD paints a positive picture of Jim's Big Ego.
© Alex Henderson /TiVo