11/30/2022 0 Comments Elliott smith good will huntingStriking out on his own, Smith became a minor hipster sensation in ’94 with the brittle, brooding and impressively consistent (albeit 30-minute-long) Roman Candle. If listeners overlooked the gay content of Dead Air, there’s a lyric sheet this time. The punky attack of the hyperactive lead-off track “Wake” and the frantic “The Corner Seat” alternates with the subtly skewed rock of “Fortune 500” and “Idler,” which works up to a modest majesty, propelled by a grand whammy-bar hook. 5 offers up five more quick slices, this time with a bit more personality and varied approaches. Particularly on “Stray,” “Still” and “Lowlife,” the energy and urgency are enough to rescue the music from the merely generic. With its crisp drum bash, big, distorted guitars and Gust and Smith’s hoarse vocals submerged just enough to muffle the lyrics (stray audible lines and their delivery make it clear we’re listening to some angry/sensitive young men here), it’s a textbook example of the strengths and weaknesses of early ’90s indie hard rock. And Elliott Smith, Heatmiser’s other singer/songwriter, went on to become a major pop force on his own.įiring off 14 songs in 37 minutes, Dead Air is laced with hints of Fugazi, Hüsker Dü and Helmet, although the record is not nearly as distinctive as any of those bands. Portland, Oregon’s Heatmiser featured the melodic/abrasive formula that made the Northwest famous, but with a lyrical twist - Neil Gust is an openly gay songwriter.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |