For a little while I thought there was no chance this album would ever make this list such was the level dissapointment I felt after a first few listens.
For most of 2008 and the start of this year I waxed lyrical about WHY?‘s masterpiece ‘Alopecia. With the knowledge that the tracks on ‘Eskimo Snow‘ were recorded in the same session I had expected more of the same. Instead the Oakland combo dropped what is essentially a pop album grounded firmly in sweet melodies and layered with impressive multi instrumental structures that aim for somewhere between the Beach Boys and The Velvet Underground.
Alopecia v.2.0 it certainly is not but once i got over my initial hang up I began appreciating these 10 tracks as the natural evolution to some of the more experimental elements I had seen the band perform live. Yoni Wolf‘s vocals appear to be more reflective and slightly subdued here but scratch beneath the surface and you will notice the same cynical lyrics and curious word games at play.
TRACKS:
WHY? – Even The Good Wood Gone
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