I have respect for many musicians not just because of their musical nous, but also how they manage to make a living for themselves by writing tunes for the better good of humanity. Top the feat of overcoming cancer, and it sounds even more terrific.

Enter Andrew McMahon. Other than beating the deadly C, McMahon has fronted not one, but two bands, to great success. The predecessor, Something Corporate, was a pop mainstay and featured many well-known and radio-friendly pop songs such as “Punk Rock Princess,‰” “If You C Jordan,‰” Space,‰” “She Paints Me Blue‰” and many others. Eventually, McMahon was to go on to form side-project Jack‰’s Mannequin in 2004.

The origin of the naming of Jack‰’s Mannequin arose when McMahon wrote a song that he deemed unlike Something Corporate, and decided he had to release it outside the Something Corporate brand (which weirdly doesn‰’t feature on any of Jack‰’s Mannequin‰’s three albums). Comparing both band‰’s works, it is obvious enough to see how McMahon‰’s work evolved over time, from the pop influences of Something Corporate, with a haphazardness and the tinge of teen angst reverberating through their songs, to Jack‰’s Mannequin‰’s controlled, calmer and more experimental approach; arguably in the later two albums The Glass Passenger and People and Things, and it is where you can see how Andrew has really progressed as a musician.

Therefore, songs from these two albums are my picks. “Dark Blue‰” from Everything in Transit really pushed Jack‰’s Mannequin‰’s name to the forefront, but many of the songs are too similar to S.C. for my liking. And of course, breakthrough singles have been repeated on playlists too much.

‰Û¬Jack‰’s Mannequin ‰ÛÒ American Love

The theme of love is still embedded in Andrew‰’s work. And this is a perfect example of the maturity he has shown. Looking at the lyrics, isn‰’t it similar to Something Corporate songs? You can‰’t be faulted for thinking that. But, the piano and synthesizer in this work combine to great effect, and true to his mission, this song doesn‰’t give out vibes of Something Corporate. A perfect accompaniment to Andrew crooning to mesmerizing lyrics ‰ÛÒ “Big hearts/ Big hearts/Big hearts are for breaking.‰” And this is by far the greatest take-away from this song.

‰Û¬Jack‰’s Mannequin ‰ÛÒ The Resolution

So this has an actual video, and is the first single from The Glass Passenger, but don‰’t be fooled. I had goosebumps listening to this, and occasionally do. An ode to being alive again, this song speaks volumes about Andrew‰’s battle with cancer —“Come on and pick me up/Somebody clear the wreckage from the blast,‰” and “I‰’m alive/I don‰’t need a witness/To know that I‰’ve survived.‰” The ending moments also deserve a careful listen, careful inserts of “I need life‰” as the song trails away.

‰Û¬Jack‰’s Mannequin ‰ÛÒ Restless Dream

For People and Things, short films were commissioned and made into videos for each song in the album. A castaway, trying to reach civilization, missing his dearest one, all fit into this wistful medley, with maximum effect also lent by the violin and cello. This song wins my pick for its poetry as well — “It‰’s funny how the words we never say/Can turn into the only thoughts we know.‰Û

Continuing on his success, the two bands have been retired in view of Andrew recording as a solo artist, releasing an EP and writing songs for television show Smash, in which a new song of his “I Heard Your Voice In a Dream‰” was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Music and Lyrics. Jack‰’s Mannequin is gone, but hopefully we‰’ll see them make an appearance again.