Sundowner
We Chase the Waves
Asian Man (2010)
We Chase the Waves is the second release from Lawrence Arms singer/guitarist Chris McCaughan. While technically his second solo release, this one is truly an individual effort, with McCaughan handling all the instrumental duties except for a few peripherals. His Lawrence Arms bandmate Neil Hennessy handled the majority of the production. Waves has a more stripped down, personal feel than its predecessor, Four One Five Two, and, as the title indicates, watery imagery permeates much of the record. Thematically, the record's approach is of metaphorically being lost at sea, going at life alone until you find your way. Beyond the maritime theme, McCaughan's songwriting style is familiar from his other work. It comes from a first person perspective, leaning on his vulnerable delivery that oozes regret, relying on his reflected emotion to overcome his vocal shortcomings. His style is that of a shy man pouring out his heart in his apartmentthe record, in fact, was mostly recorded at his home, and the photo in the liner notes features McCaughan avoiding eye contact. For the most part, there is an acoustic guitar plus singer with little accompaniment and the lyrics are intimate and direct, as in "As the Crow Flies," which … Read more
Tommy Keene
You Hear Me-A Retrospective-1983-2009
Second Motion (2010)
2 disc greatest hits collection of Keene's work over his entire career. Disc #1 focuses on his eighties period of … Read more
Echo & The Bunnymen
The Fountain
Ocean Rain Records (2009)
New record from the band blasts off with the first single "Think I Need It Too" and doesn't look back. … Read more
Modern English
Soundtrack
Darla (2009)
After a long hiatus, the band is back with a stunning new release. Skillfully produced again by Hugh Jones (Echo … Read more
