<p>A bassist, songwriter, and recording artist raised in New Jersey and based in Los Angeles, Daryl Johns writes euphoric pop music “of a certain Irish quality.” His earnestly hopeful TV show theme music, bent over the knee of New Jersey “diner rock”—his “pop for victory”—his “champion pop,” his “sped up pop”—sometimes his sunny “bubble gum country” or his coke-eyes “motivational jazz fusion”—all find their home on the artist’s self-titled debut, Daryl Johns. The record presents these musical landing-points in a cohesive 14-track collection: sugar-powered anthems for the everyman.</p>