 Guster My experiences with Guster were somewhat limited before I impulse-purchased this CD. I had heard "Airport Song" on a CMJ sampler long ago, and even though the song featured the plainly sung line "Who's your daddy?," (an annoying pop-cultural touchstone of a phrase the mere mention of which makes me want to break furniture and hurt small animals), the song had a catchy acoustic guitar shuffle and a great weird crescendo at the end that sounds like there's a game of ping pong being played in the background. Fast forward to last year, and "Fa Fa" was inescapable on the radio. I found I liked this song when I stopped to listen to it, which wasn't as often as I'd have liked – but any good car thief will tell you not waste time listening to the radio before you rip them out of other peoples cars. Ahem. I think it was the band's curious battle with Oldsmobile (over an incendiary sponsor-bashing performance at the 2000 "Hard Rock Rockfest") that sealed the deal – I ran out and bought Lost And Gone Forever. 'Cause, um, I'm a rebel too. The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite (U2, Dave Matthews Band, and of course Joan Armatrading), and apparently he had enough faith in Guster to be the first producer NOT to bring in an additional drummer to supplement Brian Rosenworcel, the band's sole percussionist. Lillywhite's faith paid off, as Lost And Gone Forever is a solid, smart pop album. You've heard how people who lose the ability to see or hear find they gradually enhance their other senses? Having an unusual band arrangements with gaps in the traditional architecture (no bassist, no standard drum kit) must have created some freedom that resulted in the three guys writing some damn good songs. Without the option to simply crank it up to eleven, the only thing left to care about is tunefulness and creativity, and the band has both in plentiful supply. "What You Wish For" opens the album with a surprising power-pop punch. This song establishes the two ways that singers Adam Gardner and Ryan Miller interact throughout the CD – either overlapping their voices perfectly (as in the 1st verse) or singing contrapuntal words and melodies to add more texture to the songs (as in the 2nd verse). In case you don't know which guy is which, Gardner handles the lead in the verses, and Miller is the guy singing the pre-choruses and choruses. "Barrel Of A Gun" has the same kind of urgent beat found in "Airport Song," and shows that Guster is unafraid to balance catchy melodies with dark lyrics (the former is about a celebrity stalker holding the object of his affection at gunpoint, I think, and the latter, is told from the perspective of a shady cult leader recruiting new followers). Great vocal blend in the bridge on this one. "Either Way" is the first of a few ballads, and it's pretty good, not the sort of Celine Dion-type horseshit we've come to expect when someone mentions the word "ballad." "Fa Fa" next…great pop song, but then you knew that already. "I Spy" is solid, but if there's a skippable track here, this is probably it. "Center Of Attention" is terrific – great chorus, and the second verse throws you for a loop by completely changing the quiet acoustic guitar of the first verse to a swinging electric guitar riff. It's nice variations like this that make the CD continue to spin on my player after 50 or 60 listens. Other highlights include "Happiness" (the other great ballad here) and "Two Points For Honesty," which boasts some nice production touches by Lillywhite that elevate the song to a new level…the intro sounds like twenty guitars are being tuned at the speed of light. There's not a bad song on this CD. A perusal through their back catalog finds Guster trying too hard to be the Indigo Girls on their first CD (Parachute) and too hard to be Toad The Wet Sprocket on their second (Goldfly) … although it can't be said that either album is bad. But Guster really hit their stride here. This band has all the makings of a long term contender – good taste in producers, legendary live shows, a fuuunny and comprehensive website and a "gimmick" in the nonstandard instrumentation. All they need to do is write their thrash metal-rap crossover song and put porn stars in their videos, and they've got it made! If you're looking for something that sounds good on your car radio, a solid radio-friendly CD you and your dad can both enjoy, Lost And Gone Forever is a pretty good choice. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to steal more car radios.
Review by POW |