What the Critics Said

“Jason Dove crosses Guided By Voices with Bad Company, ‘80s college rock with southern-fried boogie and tosses in a bit of sophomoric emo-ish humor along the way. The end result is a strong album that would be much stronger without the Bob Pollard-esque sense of brevity to which Dove so keenly clings. The record’s finest moments are often its longest ones as well (the title cut, “Jameson on the Rocks”) but the profanity-laden “Hey” and the opening “Landing A Chopper” come off just fine as well…”

Jedd Beaudoin (2005, The Daily Copper)

“Formerly in the bands Plexorjet and Slot Racer, Jason Dove is now releasing material under his own name (sometimes also playing live using the name Jason Dove and the Magic Whip). Pronto is an interesting collection of tracks that span across several musical genres. Rather than ape his previous styles or go off in a completely different direction with this album, Dove does both. Some tracks are smart, pensive pop…some are all-out rockers…while others tread in an odd modern progressive territory. These songs are ultimately strong and compelling…featuring smart lyrics, simple arrangements, and instantaneously direct vocals…”

Baby Sue Revue

“Want to hear rock comedy? Good. I’ve got one here on my desk: Jason’s Dove’s “Pronto.” Lots of catchy songs that are kind of like a softer Dinosaur Jr.; (ironic?) “classic rock” instrumental tracks; even a bonafide Belle and Sebastian parody in “Saddest Song in the World, Ever.” It’s hard to slice this one apart. “Pronto” sounds like a music fan goofing off in his basement, except the production is pristine and the songs are much more developed. “Mexico” could even be a decent hit. I’ve certainly been playing it over and over…”

Ear Candy Magazine

“Dove plays indie rock in the true sense of the term. These aren’t pop songs packaged in a faux low-fi recording. They push boundaries. Dove’s fingers traipse along fret boards, and he slices between clean and distorted riffs. At times the show-gazer, at times the rocker, Dove mixes styles on the album fluidly. Instrumental standouts include “2600” and “Pronto,” which varies guitar sounds to create a frantic musical soundscape…”

Metromix

“If an artist can be described as the sum of his influences, Jason Dove could be considered elite company. Pronto somehow manages to combine such the sounds and styles of such variant performers as Buddy Holly, Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Led Zeppelin, and any number of old school punk artists. The outcome delivers a mix of ’50’s, punk, ’70’s guitar anthems, and instrumental surf/punk/thrash tunes that could be used in TV or movie soundtracks immediately…”

Phantom Tollbooth

“‘Pronto does sound to be the sort of album someone going solo would make. Freed of all those pressing opinions of his other band members, letting the inner muse fly free, and creating songs that sound like everything he’s ever enjoyed hearing, all mashed up and strained down and re-tuned and sounding like pretty much like… anyone. But he does it with a certain confidence and without overreaching himself: no over philosophising, epic adventures. The result – thirteen tracks split between simple songs and instrumentals, occasionally enlightening, usually fuzzily familiar and more often than not instantly forgettable…”

Rockus