Considering that the title of Herb Heinz's previous solo outing was Failure -- and given his tendency to comically minimize his role and the importance of his work -- one is tempted to read in the title of this second CD "another failure." The two offsprings obviously share the same father: the same synthetic pop, delightful irony, and careful track list -- also the same guest musicians: singer Amy X Neuburg and percussionist Joel Davel (sharing electronic drums duties with Shawn King). Another is superior to Failure in composition and production, but this becomes obvious only after a few listens. Indeed, the songs this time around require a little getting used to: they are sequenced in such a smooth-sounding order that they first seem indistinguishable. It's only when certain melodies and themes become familiar that one can appreciate how each song evolves from the previous one. Highlights include the opening "Reverse," which could be Heinz's tribute to Rupert Hine's solo music circa Immunity (cold, dark, new wave, and catchy in an artsy kind of way); "Hole in the Head," a typical self-deprecating Heinz song; "Egoboy" (the best production of the album); "Precision" and its unexpected Gentle Giant-esque contrapuntal keyboard bridge; and "Pot of Gold," an epic at seven minutes when compared to the other two- to four-minute tracks. Overall, Another may sound more accessible than its predecessor, but it isn't missing any of the strangeness and uniqueness found in Heinz's music, either solo or in Hmmm....
© François Couture /TiVo