Review of Don't Get Smart
CMJ New Music Report
Tuesday, September 1, 1998
by Glen Sansone
![Review of Dont Get Smart](https://www.bigego.com/images/reviews/reviews-24.gif)
Boston's Jim's Big Ego is the brainchild of wry, quirky songwriter Jim Infantino who wields his razor-sharp poetic flair like a weapon on Don't Get Smart, offering thought-provoking commentary (especially on "Ahead of the Curve"), that can sound both humorous and poignant at the same time. The album features complex, Dave Matthews Band-like rhythmic arrangements that vaccilate between deep, grooving funk and rootsy rock without sounding committed to either. On "Feelin' Groovy," the band's updated take on the Simon & Garfunkel tune, Infantino mixes a down-town Lou Reed-style hipness with rapped lyrics (which borrow a few classic Slick Rick rhymes) for an innovative cover that best illustrates the band's smart, imaginative approach.