#310 Mike Watt - Hyphenated-Man

Another Adam rec.

Man, this comes out of the gates hard. Those are some catchy-ass basslines. Totally hooked.

I have certain reference points that I can't seem to get away from: I seem to repeatedly use comparisons to Guided by Voices to describe acts that are
* lo-fi
* effortlessly catchy
* liable to spit out dozens of songs at a time
* prone to writing simple, brisk and chorusless songs

In this case, it is the last 3 that apply, as it is just one effortlessly catchy, inventive, wildly varying song after another (the production is actually pretty good, losing it some DiY I-could-do-this charm, gaining it a large degree of listenability). It also reminds me of 69 Love Songs - all of these songs are good, the album wheeling off from one idea to another, going on and on, just more ideas than it knows what to do with, too much talent to stop effortlessly throwing off good lines and hooks and melodies. But eventually, by song #30, man, that lack of structure gets exhausting. There's a reason that a movie is easier to watch than 50 two-minute shorts, that overarching thread provides context for each idea.

I actually like shorter, chorusless songs (see The Unicorns, GBV), and the bass playing is unsurprisingly excellent, and Watt's voice has actually aged well enough, managing some Shatneresque pathos, and still mustering a powerful enough strained yell when it's needed. Pretty good for 53. The songs are vaguely minutemeney, angular, jagged, Gang-of-Four-but-more-fun bursts of sounds, quitting as soon as they've made their point. One after another, pop pop pop burst burst burst stab stab stab done. Fun, exhausting.

The most obvious point of reference is obviously, actually, Double Nickels on the Dime, which is an expansive set of songs that defies easy encapsulation. If I give this half the time I gave that classic I'm sure it will grow on me. Hyphenated-Man doesn't have the same sun-parched jitter, but it has some of the same spirit, and it is certainly the finest post-Minutemen release I've heard from Watt yet 4/5