One possible explanation for one-man band Chad Matheny's ability to pen such quirky, sweet songs: his impaired vision may have given him a keener sense of songwriting skills. Possessing the spunk of
Atom & His Package and the inventive writing chops of such colorful bands as
Of Montreal, his smorgasbord of lo-fi on
Central Hug is a delight. His witty subjects of choice contribute: "Right to the Rails" is about rapid transit and "Sfearion" concerns computer radiation. "Raytracer," easily a highlight, comes up with many interesting random questions ("did you ever get sad on your bed late at night, crying, listening to Either/Or?"), made convincing by Matheny's sincerity. The falsetto croon on "Use Your Hands" comes without warning, and you may want to put your headphones down for a moment, but pretty much everything else here, especially "Citizens of Wichita" and "Ainseley," more than make up for that little interruption. Even toward the finish, he doesn't slack: "Edgeless" has a great hook for the chorus and Matheny actually sounds like a full indie rock band on "Coast to Coast." ~ Kenyon Hopkin