Wallowing in emotional rock dirges in an Americanized version of
Radiohead circa
OK Computer and
The Bends, this album does have a few bright spots, albeit too early and not enough to carry the remainder. The depth of both "Last Song on Earth" and the ethereal "Plum & the Outro" are promising, but lead singer
Jimmy Tuckett tends to play each song in an overtly safe manner. Very miniature as far as originality, the band emits a rather deliberate, uninspired performance in a good portion of the songs. Lyrics such as "I wonder how it feels to be perfect instead of me" (on "Quasi-Dead") might seem genuine at the time of creation, but the delivery is too bland to lend much credence toward. Although the album stays clear of clichés lyrically and the music seems good in spots, the overall effort is one of monotony. The potential is visible on songs such as "Phonophobic," but the album suffers from complacency.