Quirky songmaster
Adam Green
took a break from
Moldy Peaches
in fall 2002 to release his debut solo album,
Garfield
. Slightly sticking to his
anti-folk
formula,
Green
offers an ironic musical twist on
, and it's surprisingly charming. While songs like the
ragtime
gem
"My Shadow Tags on Behind"
and the banjo romp
"Her Father and Her"
are poetically frank,
is keenly aware of what socially surrounds him. He's barely in his twenties but comes off with a shrewdness similar to
Lou Barlow
and
's favorite,
Tim Hardin
.
"Dance With Me"
is
's brightest
pop
moment. Layered percussion twirls around
's low vocal brooding and a hushing woodwinds section.
sweetly describes a moment with a crush he once admired from afar and he's weirdly romantic in doing so.
's musical storybook of the bruised;
Lou Reed
/
Iggy Pop-esque
vocals and spiky riffs highlight love's defeat on
"Baby's Gonna Die Tonight,"
but don't forget that
is a lovesucker. He's also a humorist of sorts -- pay attention to
"Mozzarella Swastikas."
is an impressive departure from
's
persona. He doesn't even use the word "turd" in any of his songs. [Original versions of
"Dance With Me,"
"Bleeding Heart,"
"Computer Show"
can also be found on
's self-titled EP.] ~ MacKenzie Wilson