We may never know. But the LP's title might as well be The Closer I Get To Bummerdom. So, if you want to get down, get really down, like under the shag rug -- no wait, a shag rug is way too zany -- try a heavy smothering wool oriental carpet, Hayden is your man. The title track starts out mopy and it all just gets mopier from there. The only real pep to be found on The Closer I Get is a jazzy instrumental (there are drums!) called "Waiting For A Chance To See Her," and a rocky instrumental (more drums!) called "Instrumental With Mellotron." But then you ease into tracks like "Memphis" with the refrain "The pain is here" and the song "Nights Like These" with a piano intro that's like Michael Nyman (composer of the poignant The Piano score) on over-the-counter downers. Its opening lyric: "My loneliness brings me down." It brings me down too, Hay.
Hayden's vocal style doesn't help. His voice is gritty-ish and serious. Produced by the crackerjack team of Scott Litt (R.E.M., Nirvana), John Hanion (Neil Young), and Steve Fisk (Screaming Trees), the album may appear to be simple (folk is often mistaken for basic), yet it is extremely well-crafted. And Hayden employs a mix of guitar, banjo, cello, piano, and harmonica on various tracks.
I'm not saying that Hayden isn't good at what he does, he definitely is. Just don't listen to The Closer I Get on a rainy day when you're feeling vulnerable, because you may never be able to get out of bed again.