Verona Red unveils dynamic, dramatic 'Effects'

Verona Red, "Side Effects" (self-released)

Many bands cultivate strong local followings simply because they're nice people who play inoffensive music. Not that they're not nice, or that they're offensive, but Verona Red, a Chicago-based quartet with roots in Barrington, Lake Zurich and Elk Grove Village, offers a dynamic, anthemic, at times ambitious sort of rock that genuinely warrants a hearty grassroots fan base. The libidinous mélange found on their debut full-length album, "Side Effects," isn't without precedent, but its nervous energy is compelling all the same.

"Hesitations and Clichés" steps out with Mike Panagakis' drums swinging, connecting with frontman Chris Balzer's dramatic piano banging, squeezing sexy confidence out of the singer's deep drawl. It's a winning combination of saloon singalong and driving pop with a refreshingly shadowy heart. Later, "Marjorie" revisits the template with even stronger results thanks to Tony Focht's frazzled, jangly guitar and Tazdeen Rashid's nimble, propulsive bass. As opposed to most mix-buried bassists, Rashid actually turns out to be Verona Red's secret weapon, providing a warm pulse for lively disco-rock hybrids "In the Coat Check," "All We Ever Had" and "Dragonflies."

All is not perfect here, as string-laden acoustic ballad "All We Would Lose" and upbeat alterna-rocker "After All" weaken the album's middle section with shockingly average radio rock, and "Stereo" is only elevated by Focht's expressive indie guitar melodies. Aside from closer "Disappear," a brief but engaging slow burner, Verona Red does best with the funkier, more spirited tunes that dominate "Effects." Those showcase their unique personality, a lounge-lizard-takes-Manhattan brew that not only tries to appeal to all tastes, but very nearly will.

• Verona Red performs a CD release show with Moxie Motive, Pistols at Dawn and AMFM at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. $8. (773) 489-3160 or doubledoor.com.

Young Jeezy, "The Recession" (Def Jam)

Opening his third album with news samples about the Federal Reserve and lines like "Wish I had some money/I might buy me some better luck," Young Jeezy appears to discard the consumerist fantasies of mainstream hip-hop in order to reflect the world's current financial woes. After all, the MC earned his status preaching survival by any means necessary, even as he earned his nickname ("The Snowman") by surviving on crack cocaine sales. Combined with a closing track called "My President," complete with a cameo by big-issue magnet Nas, it's almost enough to convince you that Jeezy's developed a social conscience, or is at least trying to relate to his average cash-strapped fan.

Throughout "The Recession," as Jeezy counters his timely money references with expected boasts of wealth, it becomes clear that the Atlanta rapper hasn't turned into Chuck D. He remains a populist, peddling easy mass digestion, the musical equivalent of empty calorie Hollywood blockbusters with standard pulse-pounding beats, choruses stuffed with cheesy "hey!" shouts and overwhelming symphonic explosions. Some of it's too catchy not to stick, such as "Put On," the unavoidable summer megahit featuring an Auto-Tune-abusing Kanye West, or the dense, operatic inner conflict evoked by "Crazy World." Yet, all that's really unique here is Jeezy's trademark flow, and even that slow, raspy delivery is largely concerned with the most generic of rap subjects: the rapper himself.

"The Recession" succeeds more consistently when it lets humanity peek through the plastic dance club constructions. Such much-needed breaks include the conspicuously organic '70s drive of "Circulate," Anthony Hamilton's textured soul singing and Lil Boosie's strident bragging on "Everything," and the relatively mellow likes of "Hustlaz Ambition" and "Vacation," in which where Jeezy's unhurried Southern croaks have enough breathing room to take on some charm. This album is really just another overlong hip-hop hit machine, despite its opportune appeals to common folks. Then again, like any good election-year politician, Young Jeezy gives 'em what they want to hear, and in times like these, his "message" of resilience is healthier than, say, another song about lollipops.

• Young Jeezy performs with The-Dream at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Northern Illinois University's Convocation Center, 1525 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb. $45. (312) 559-1212 or convocenter.niu.edu.