This is a great example of how to make complex music without being pretentious. Sometimes he layers multiple melodies, not to be experimental or different, but because they work for the song. Sometimes you'll see reviews where people will say, I had to listen to it 10 or 12 times before I got it, essentially brainwashing themselves into liking something. I prefer when something grabs me right away like this stuff. The background singers are great and I love how uses them sometimes like they're playing the rhythm behind his vocals.

These guys are terrible. Nothing resembling a song until Weight Lifting Lulu that sounds a little like if Sonic Youth did a surf song. Otherwise, just awful. These guys make 30 seconds seem like an eternity. I never need to hear any of these songs ever again. The only enjoyment I got out of this was that they made a few noises that confused my dog.

Pretty boring album, has an elevator music feel, or background music for a movie soundtrack. I like jazz but I don’t like this. This is a real chore to get through. Never need to hear this album again, and would’ve been fine never hearing it at all.

What I like about the album is that it sounds like it was recorded in the 70's, there's no polished, pristine and sterile production value that's been gutting music of its lifeforce since the 1980's. That being said, I don't find the music to be all that compelling. I never heard of this guy and after listening to this album I have no desire to hear anything else by him. It's not terrible, it's not offensive, but it also doesn't grab you, it doesn't shake you, it doesn't make you turn your head. No one's going to pull out their phone and Shazam anything on this album, except maybe the last song "Changes" easily the best song here.

1. "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" A little pretentious, overall boring, lots of stupid noise stuff and off key piano lines. 2. "Kamera" Better than the first song, still has annoying noises. The singer just seems bored, and he should be, it's a boring song. 3. "Radio Cure" More stupid noise stuff, singer seems to still be very bored. Doinky piano scattered about. Lyrics are just pretentious nonsense. I'm so bored. 4. "War on War" More stupid noise stuff in the intro, followed by a much better song. Easily the best song by far. Unfortunately, more stupid noise stuff is scattered about. Outro way too long and unnecessary. 5. "Jesus, Etc." No stupid noise stuff, although they were stretching with some of the violin stuff. Decent, not great, don't need to hear it again. 6. "Ashes of American Flags" It just seems like they think it's way bigger than it is, it's not. It's not insightful or profound, just pretentious. Outro is stupid noise stuff. 7. "Heavy Metal Drummer" Hip hop drums start this one out. This song is so fucking lame. I want to murder this song with a butter knife to make the pain last. 8. "I'm the Man Who Loves You" 100% best song on the album so far. I give these guys a second chance based on this song. 9. "Pot Kettle Black" Another pretty good one. Seems like they went for the unconventional approach of bottom loading rather than top loading the album. 10. "Poor Places" Uh oh, more stupid noises... Ugh, the lyrics are so fucking pretentious. Terrible precussion. Awful piano. This is nonsense. Grabbed the butter knife. Stupid noise stuff again. 11. "Reservations" Stupid noises, bored singer, finishing like we started. It's so incredibly bad. Why won't it end? I would put a bullet in this one just so I didn't have to suffer. Fucking stupid noises in the outro.

This is a great example of how to make complex music without being pretentious. Sometimes he layers multiple melodies, not to be experimental or different, but because they work for the song. Sometimes you'll see reviews where people will say, I had to listen to it 10 or 12 times before I got it, essentially brainwashing themselves into liking something. I prefer when something grabs me right away like this stuff. The background singers are great and I love how uses them sometimes like they're playing the rhythm behind his vocals.

1. "Tom Violence" Not great, lots of heavy distortion, but pretty whiny and boring. 2. "Shadow of a Doubt" Starts off with whispery vocals in the verse, doinky, artsy guitar, then a hard distorted chorus, ending with whispery verse. Nothing great. 3. "Starpower" This song shows signs of promise, but there's a bridge that doesn't really work. There are things in it that work, but more things that don't. 4. "In the Kingdom #19" Ugh, just bad free verse poetry over what might have been a decent background. But it just screams "look at how different we are." Being different because you're different is cool, being different because you're trying to be different isn't. 5. "Green Light" The mix is terrible. These guys have elements of good stuff, they just can't put it together. 6. "Death to Our Friends" Instrumental. It's okay, don't need to ever hear it again. 7. "Secret Girl" Ugh, stupid niose stuff in the intro. Followed by something that could be a song if they knew how to write a song. 8. "Marilyn Moore" Pretty bad song. It's weird because there might be something there, but they have no clue how to flesh it out, and that's consistent through the whole album so far. So far it's still a solid 2, which is one above being total shit. 9. "Expressway to Yr. Skull" This is just awful. Terrible song. Tugging this bitch back to a 1. Let's hope the last one kicks it up a notch. Just boring crap. Just end the fucking song already!!!! Jesus Christ! 10. "Bubblegum" Best song on the album, a solid 3/10. I'm like 4 albums in and this isn't even the worst or 2nd worst I've heard and it was still pretty terrible.