![]() “Stronger Than” gets all high and mighty by proclaiming that “love is stronger than fear”, yet Yorn is extremely hesitant to even consider falling in love because “I gotta know myself before I know someone else”. For an opposing viewpoint, the song “Always” spends a fair amount of time talking about the challenges that come with falling in love, but maintains all the struggles are worth it in the end just to have that deep connection with another person. He appears to be pretty down on himself in general, such as on “The Chase” where he’s pretty much an asshole to this woman he loves, and then basically admits to being a horrible person while trying to convince her to come back to him. But much of the album comes from a very raw and intense emotional place. Hell, the song “Rock Crowd”, as I’ve already attested, features both his light and dark side. What’s that, you say? Pete Yorn isn’t bipolar? Perhaps a psychologist can give this record a listen and craft a diagnosis based around that. Speaking of concepts and storylines, this self-titled record finds Yorn trying to manage the challenges of being bipolar. The words are 100% Pete Yorn though, and there’s no doubt about that, which is good for the wordplay but just a little bland when it comes to concepts and storylines. One listen to “Badman” and you’ll be left wondering what new artist you’ve just stumbled upon. A lot of the album actually carries that Frank Black touch, and that largely comes through in the heavy electric guitar work and some of Yorn’s vocals which sometimes get to the point where it sounds like somebody else is singing. What’s most interesting about that track though is how much it sounds exactly like something that Frank Black would do either solo or with his band the Catholics. Let’s hope the song was written from the perspective of a little boy, or Yorn might have some unchecked mental issues. With “Velcro Shoes” he tells the story of buying the shoes, going home and taking a bath with his imaginary friend Billy, then having imaginary adventures with Billy. Surely you’ve heard the Paolo Nutini hit “New Shoes” about how he puts his “new shoes on and suddenly everything is right”. “Cutesy” is another way to describe it, along with the song that directly follows “Rock Crowd”, which is “Velcro Shoes”. Will Yorn play it at virtually every single show from now until eternity? You can probably bet on it, and I’ve not heard a more pandering song in the last several years. The idea behind the song is this: poor Pete Yorn always feels tired and depressed and down, but then he steps on stage to adoring fans and it’s like a warm embrace that makes him feel all better. Where it doesn’t aid him is on the song “Rock Crowd”, where the cheese factor is so high that it has become a new anthem for mice. ![]() Of course comparing a woman to a precious stone isn’t exactly a new concept, but cliched situation or not, Yorn’s smart writing helps greatly. “Precious Stone” opens the album, and as Pete Yorn tends to write love songs pretty well, this one fares as one of his best to date. Given his hit-or-miss history over the past 10 years, on the surface this new one appears to have a lot going for it, the question is whether or not that’s enough. It’s most likely that combination of elements, getting a fresh label with a fresh producer that pushed Yorn to make his fifth record self-titled. Frank Black, a name you might recognize in association with the Pixies or Black Francis or any number of other musical projects he’s associated with. He also worked with a new producer this time around in the form of Mr. He’s also got a brand new record label after signing to Vagrant, certainly a step down from the massive Columbia but perhaps he likes it that way. Maybe he’s just feeling exceptionally productive these days. Previously he’s gone at least 2 years between records. Yet Yorn is now releasing his fifth album, a mere year after his last one “Back & Fourth”. Touring is by far the more lucrative method of getting some quick cash, though hypothetically Yorn could do a few years worth of it and maintain strong ticket sales even without some new music to back it up. Is he in desperate need of money? Well, with album sales being what they are these days, most artists don’t make much if any money from them. ![]() Pete Yorn has been particularly productive the last couple years, and there’s a couple reasons why that might be the case.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |