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The Sad Song
Co.: Miseryguts
Miseryguts is the debut solo release from Nigel Powell, from Unbelievable Truth. He plays nearly every instrument on the album (there are assorted guitar bits played by Ken Turner, and Jason Moulster plays bass on most of the disc), but it ends up sounding like the work of a tight, well-rehearsed band. Throughout the twelve tracks, instruments drop in and out, acoustic guitars and piano are obscured by their electric counterparts, and everything works out in the end. Powell's vocals tend to lean towards the high-pitched-easy-slide-into-falsetto that's so popular with the kids these days, but he never sounds overly earnest or showy. On This Isnt What I Expected, he effortlessly moves from a growl to a wail, at the same time managing to sidestep any Thom Yorke comparisons. Thats got to amount to something. The disc kicks off with Beginning to Wonder, and while the crunchy riff fits with the overall feel of the album, it doesnt necessarily match up with the rest of the songs. After that, the songs easily move from one to another, but still sound different enough to avoid sounding like Powells repeating himself. Gulag Parenting matches thumping drums with a hypnotic and manic keyboard line, eventually dropping into a solo bysomething. Its probably a keyboard of some kind, but it also sounds kind of like the sound you get when you rub your hands over a balloon. Then the drums come back in, and youre back to the familiar. You Get My Best is an acoustic strummer, with minimal lyrics, sloppy, fun drums, and an awkward, pretty falsetto. For a solo disc, played almost entirely by one person, Miseryguts feels awfully assured of itself, and thats a good thing. Its quirky at times, anthemic at others, and fun to listen to all the way through.
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