Adam Green - Sixes & Sevens (Rough Trade)
3/5
By: Michael Cragg
There probably isn't a better time then right now for Adam Green to slink into the mainstream. Currently riding high following the success of the Juno soundtrack on which he appears as one half of The Moldy Peaches, Green releases his fifth solo album Sixes & Sevens. Whilst his other albums have had their moments- most notably the tongue in cheek but still rather lovely, 'Jessica'- he's yet to release a cohesive set of songs. Unfortunately, his inability to edit himself (there are twenty songs on this album) means that it's another mixed bag, made all the more frustrating by the brief glimpses of genuine talent that arise here.
So, let's start with the positives. Eschewing the somewhat tired formula of vulgar lyrics and amateur musicianship that can start out as cute at first but soon becomes wearing, he's decided to call in some musicians and take a few risks. The album opens with a sudden rush of gospel voices, behind which a small storm of drums and electric guitars help create a genuinely exciting entrance. The addition of the gospel singers is perhaps the biggest surprise of all, but somehow it works, Green's monotone sounding even more mournful on the political 'Getting Led'. 'Twee Twee Dee' on the other hand is Green at his breeziest as he sings nonsense over organ and twinkling strings courtesy of David Campbell (Beck's dad fact fans). Also of note is the excellent 'Broadcast Beach', a song made to be listened to whilst driving in a convertible somewhere in America.
Unfortunately, not all the experiments work, the pan pipes on 'You Get So Lucky' being a case in point, and lyrically Green still seems to be in his teens with nonsense rhymes and wilful surrealism. You also can't shake the feeling that these twenty songs could easily have been cut down by at least half and he would have had a much better album as a result. Unfortunately, what we're left with is another inconsistent album by an artist who may now forever be known as 'that guy with the song in that film'.
Artists in this article: Adam Green
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