Ouch - Not Bad

I’m a sucker for entrepreneurs, especially young, music minded ones. And the fact that anyone might approach me with my Starbucks, Sneer and Snotty look on – well, extra kudos for that. And hell, perhaps he caught me on a bad day, when I wasn’t feeling as in touch with my bad hip self as I usually do. But Brendan Taylor caught me, regardless, stalking into Dupont Circle, fully intending to fall immediately asleep on the grass while reading Proust. (And no, by any means – offence meant to Proust.)

A la Cake, he approached me with an iPod and a set of headphones, asking if I was a “music person”. Can these people pick me out a mile away? Do I have that smell about me? So I slapped on the headphones, as Brendan told me “I did everything on the album myself.” For 5 bucks, to tell the truth, I probably would have bought it anyway to just support another artist – but the fact is… It’s pretty damn good.

“Ouch” is a cross somewhere between a white Saul Williams and a blacker Buck 65, a little bit of Broken Social Scene and some Modest Mouse in terms of angry, maybe a little young Beck, and some pretty wise ass lyrics. It’s got the bathroom recording production sensibilities of my favourite CoCoRosie albums, but male. Fast paced, pulsing, though maintaining a strong musical hook that makes it sound just the good side of automaton, and a voice emotive enough that you know he’s not just reading off a notepad (because we’ve all heard those CD’s) – I like it. “Dog Waggers” has a politically witty vibe, very head-nod make a difference paint a sign music, and “Mine Now” has a vaguely Mos Def funk to it. You can definitely feel the hip hop influences, “School” has “Bonita Applebaum” (TCQ) slid into it, and you can smell a little DMC in “Bills But Never Change”. This would be good for an art exhibit, or late night Red Stripe on the porch, even a little mean kissing. Looking forward to the next one Brendan – hopefully I’ll catch you in Dupont Circle sometime soon. If you’d like to contact Brendan for a CD, try dixonsmells@hotmail.com, or take a quick listen here. Word to the wise though Brendan? I’ll volunteer to do your next album cover. *smile*