Latest: stalked by doubleagame
It’s a strange symptom of our times that most musicians are neither vitriolic or objectionable. In the past it was important - nay compulsory - to protest about everything from war, to the price of travelcards and Cadbury’s Crème Eggs, whereas now there seems to be a quiet acceptance among the singer/songwriter brigade that things can’t be changed so why bother trying to shake things up… Which is a pity, and in many ways a disgrace, as these are terrifying but exciting times, and these soft lads surely owe it to us to be challenging things, or if not, documenting events that affect us all rather than indulging themselves.
Cass McCombs seems to have bypassed both approaches by writing with a subtlety and ambiguity that awakens an interest in us, though his peculiar, highpitched, and slightly flat drawl does a great job of disguising the words he’s actually singing, like some kind of aural poker face. How frustrating that is. Musically McCombs is definitely an acquired taste, like a younger, less grizzly Wayne Coyne warbling over some lazy piano and an even lazier backbeat. The tunes are nothing new either, but the delivery at times is very pretty.
The classiest moment is ‘Aids In Africa’ (where the singer tells us "the season of giving is now") but we’re overwhelmed with the suspicion he’s knobbled an old George Harrison tune. Still, you can’t argue with the ideas, wherever they came from. Everything else is a bit ordinary in comparison.
There are some other instances where thievery may have played a part too. ‘Bobby King Of Boys Town’ reminds us too much of Blondie’s ‘The Tide Is High’, but the lacklustre delivery kind of reminds you of why the Blondie song is so great. And ‘I Went To The Hospital’ has a similar structure and texture to Procol Harum’s ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’, but comparatively it’s never going to compete. It doesn’t have the organ for a start. It doesn’t even have the Dulux dog.
Still, it’s a dreamy, tripity little album and you suspect McCombs is hungry to learn, and this is just the beginning. He’ll get a little bit closer next time.
Jeremy Allen
