My review of Heart Burns, the debut solo album of Against Me frontman Tom Gabel:
"Random Hearts" is an apt name for a random song—and album for that matter—that doesn't know what it wants to be. Heart Burns feels stuck awkwardly between a punk past and an uncertain future. Stripped of the backing of a rollicking punk band, the lyrics seem flat and immature, and frankly provoked some cringing by yours truly on my morning commute, as if a young white teenager were waxing poetic about the headlines of a newspaper he cannot afford to read because he is struggling to pay rent to his slumlord. Too obvious.
Gabel's strengths just didn't shine in this solo format. I wanted to have fun while cursing the establishment, but was too distracted. The lyrics just don't hold up, the contrast of his signature raspy voice is not enough to achieve the beautiful balance like in Against Me's "New Wave." Many of the lines sound like Gabel trying to give himself advice and convince himself of his political views—his old self, perhaps, as he is struggling on a "Conceptual Path" to form a new identity. He is utterly conflicted and alone, and not in a good way. (Perhaps he should study Elliot Smith.) It felt unsteady, unsure and a bit forced, like a summer fling, an indulgent experiment gone awry. It signals death, a death of punk perhaps, that Gabel should go on fighting against, not surrendering to.
However, I am still eager to hear him play live, along with his openers, at the Knitting Factory on my birthday, a week from today. I think without the barrier of the studio, his rawness will be more genuine, smile-inducing, and dare I say it, romantic (though I don't know if Gabel knows if he wants it to be). Either way, it will be a good night. I am sure.
There is one saving grace, one gem, on this quick, 7-song album. The track that works is called Harsh Realms. It is pure and simple and true (and also would sound better with a rocking punk band backing it:).
This is not punk. But punk is Gabel's heart. And oh, how his heart burns.
Speaking of frontmen and randomness, doesn't Danny looks scarily similar to the pregnant man? ;)
3 comments:
There's something about "Random Hearts"'s steady beat that keeps me dancing--and chanting. The strongest song on the album, I dare to say, is "Anna Is a Stool Pigeon," which looks to Dylan and Guthrie for inspiration, focus. And, hey, the song tells a good story. Isn't that what music should be about? Yeah.
Perhaps that is true about random hearts' beat, but the lyrics killed it for me. I didn't think Anna's story was anything new or terribly interesting, though it sounded better live. The lyrics/rhythm in that song were awkward, though sometimes lent themselves to double meanings (unintentional or not), which is always good. I think the problem was the lyrics need to be tightened and strengthened (or perhaps stripped to be more raw and honest, like in Harsh Realms) to better match the rhythms. Not a perfect marriage. Sorry babe. That's just my humble opinion.
No need to be sorry, babe. ;)
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