When word got out some time ago that Derek Palumbo, front man for veteran hardcore act Glassjaw, was forming another band, there were probably hordes of people drooling at the chance to hear more of him. After Head Automatica released its debut Decadence, there were probably hordes of confused fans wondering where their beloved lead singer of Glassjaw was. Sit, children, and listen to a tale of a band and the second band that formed from the original band.

By fall of 2002, Glassjaw’s Grammy nominated Worship and Tribute had done extremely well and the band had a solid year and a half of touring behind them. It was at this point that Palumbo decided to venture outside what he had been doing in Glassjaw for the past 13 years, and began to write and play a completely different type of music.

Through a mutual friend, he was introduced to Dan “The Automator” Nakamura (Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gorillaz) and the pair began to record Decadence. The record took nearly two years to complete, but the end result is justification for both the time spent on the album and its unexpected content.

A hint for the uninformed: Decadence is not Glassjaw. The listener can tell that it’s the same singer, but that’s about where similarities end. It would be pointless to try and convince anybody that Decadence belongs in the same section of the record store as Worship and Tribute. Palumbo has traded the howls and screeches of Glassjaw for smooth, soulful melodies and funky, fresh, phat-ass beats.

Songs like “Brooklyn Is Burning,” and “Head Automatica Sound System” have the potential to make the listener slap gel in his or her hair, buy some black lights and glow sticks and proceed to dance all over the house like they were partying in Ibiza until the sweet morning come.

On the other hand, tracks like “Beating Heart Baby” and “King Caesar” are cheesy, sugary sweet pop goodness, sure to capture the hearts of both diehard TRL viewers and retired disco queens. Palumbo even resembles an American version of Robert Smith in “Please Please Please.”

Head Atomatica are not just another side project spawned from a popular band; they are going to be a legit breath of fresh air for a lot of people. They are on tour now with A Wilhelm Scream, so get off the couch, grab your dancing shoes, and make the drive to the closest show. For our less motivated friends out there, head to a record shop and pick up Decadence. It’s phat, yo.