These days it seems that the ever-increasing pace of our culture has led society into a state of mass ADD. Some might decry this condition, but I say Right On! My attention span was never very long to begin with, and most of the stuff out there isn't worth the time anyway.
That may be one reason why I can't stop listening to Mike Enzor's debut release, Album Oriented Rock. Containing 19 pop gems, this beauty clocks in at a mere 39 minutes. So, even if you're a freak and don't like all of the songs, chances are they're already over before your finger can reach the skip button. But that shouldn't be a problem. If there's a false step on this CD, either I missed it, or my CD player has one of those built in Shit Detectors.
Enzor careens from Beatles-inspired pop ("Lookout for the Sun") to Beck-esque twisted folk ramblings ("I Just Wanna") to 60s garage rave-ups ("Radio X", complete with Farfisa!). There's also a healthy dose of 90s indie rock sensibility. Fans of lo-fi basement popsters like Guided by Voices will appreciate the brevity and attention to melody. And, much like GbV, songs that may seem stylistically all over the map somehow all wind up on the same page in the end. Check out the killer hook - delivered via a chorus of banjos - on "Five and Dime", the simultaneously laid back yet propulsive drumming on the contemplative "At the Store", and the great fuzzed-up guitar on "Catalina", the 3 songs that, in my not-so-humble opinion, make up the Holy Triumvirate of this record. The underlying theme is hooks, hooks, hooks. Oh, and let's not forget the lyrics, which are plain-spoken but philosophical. Themes of nostalgia, longing, and the endless tug of war between reassuring domesticity and new-found freedom are touched on in a down to earth way. Words flow almost conversationally.
A real warm sound pervades the record. At times you feel like you're sitting in on a late night, beer-fueled rehearsal session. The vibe is enhanced by Enzor's silky smooth, rumbling baritone vocals that will have the ladies turning up the bass and dry humping their speakers (especially on "Love Jones", the raunchiest ode to sweet lovin' since, like, some horny old blues dude from Mississippi).Enzor is one of those DIY types, so in addition to singing duties, he plays all the instruments on most of the songs, which he also recorded himself "in the garage". A record this good couldn't have been made anywhere else.
Album Oriented Rock is available by e-mailing Career Death Records.
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