(Drag City)
This is just terrible, just inexcusable. This is not good as indie rock, alt-country or even as an ironic Ween kinda tribute (and Ween did their suck-city/isn’t-Nashville-hilarious record years ago... and look at them now).
Band-leading lyricist David Berman (I won’t say who writes the music; I don’t want to be too insulting) fancies himself some sort of a poet, apparently, and his "character study" lyrics about people who are big losers are Carver-esque in a college sophomore way. "Sarcastic hair" and "candy jail" aren’t entertaining or relevant. Maybe at Bonnaroo...
Even worse, though, are the vocals: His are flatter than Joe Don Baker’s movie career, and the ladies’ backing vocals are sub-middle-school talent show. It’s not the early ’70s anymore, you’re not an outlaw, you’re not Bob Dylan, and you’re not ironically funny, so please stop making horrible records.
c. 2008 LEO Weekly
