A Different Breed of Album Review

Nirvana – In Utero

I’ll give Kurt Cobain credit for one thing – he didn’t try to make another Nevermind. The other predictable response would have been to make an artsy, pretentious record – he didn’t do that either. What he did do was make an album of grunge sludge where the hooks sink into the morass of detuned guitars and banshee howls. But it works mostly – the lyrics are direct and painful, the songs are still well-written, if lacking in the inescapable pop hooks of the album’s predecessor. Still, with only two outstanding tracks (the spiraling “Heart-Shaped Box” and the closer “All Apologies”), and too many slowed-down Nevermind retreads (“Rape Me,” “Dumb”), In Utero will only work for you if you really empathize with Cobain – personally, it ain’t my cup of (pennyroyal) tea.

7.7

Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Of Montreal are polished purveyors of pop, there’s no doubt about that. They’ve updated the British pop sound of the 60s, with lush waves of electronics sparked with quirky rhythms and polyester sass. Word is that this is a break-up album, but apart from the 11-minute centerpiece “The Past is a Grotesque Animal,” the lyrics are too self-consciously clever to garner any real emotion. Therefore, I judge this album based on its hooks and according to my ear, the second half of the album has plenty of pomp, but drifts by without any really memorable melodies. After the emotional outburst of TPIAGA (fucking song titles) – Kevin Barnes and co. sound positively drained. Still, kudos to the first six tracks, especially the wondrous “A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger” – now there’s a hook.

7.2

Wilco – Summerteeth

On this record, Wilco master the art of sounding like a great fucking pop band. Witness a song like “ELT” with keyboard lines straight from the heavens and the energy of a band that has mastered the art of rocking. Tracks like “She’s a Jar” do Brian Wilson proud by taking plaintive singer/songwriter tunes and twisting them inside out with haunting synthesizers and offbeat structures. We also get the anthemic side of Wilco with the opening rocker “Can’t Stand It” and the simple, but dreamy “I’m Always in Love,” built around another winner of a synth line. Wilco successfully integrates their alt-country sound with the ambitions of a Brian Wilson here – melding electronic soundscapes with Jeff Tweedy’s requisite honesty and directness. I’ll admit not all their songs live up to the sublime bliss of their arrangements, especially on the second half, but it’s still a worthy record.

8.8