Because I gave a favorable review to Randy Bickford's previous albums under the name The Strugglers, Randy himself contacted me about getting me his new album. To be honest, I ignore almost all promo requests now. It's either some promotion company I don't want to deal with or some unknown band I don't want to disappoint. But some requests I end up not being able to resist, and hearing what Bickford was up to was one of them.
Not surprisingly, Bickford is moving further and further away from the bedroom, relying more and more on supporting musicians (strings and such) and just overall giving off a more polished sound. No wonder AMG and the like pick Smog and Red House Painters as references instead of Oldham and Songs: Ohia. But, not to poo poo on lazy journalism (cause I'm being just as lazy here), but those references are completely misleading. Granted it's folk and the lyrics are personal, but the music is pop enough and consistently midtempo enough that just comparing it to Smog or Red House Painters doesn't cut it. I'd say - only judging by the music not the words - that The Strugglers have more in common with Camper Van Beethoven than any of those groups. Bickford's voice even sounds more like Lowery than Oldham, Callahan, or Kozelek. The songs that try to create drama and intensity - ones that might warrant a Red House Painters reference, for example - are not the strong point here. The build in "I Tried to Repair" comes off by-the-numbers, not organic at all. It's the simple and cute pop songs like "The Rejection Letter," "The Cascade Range," and "Racing Down One Path" where Bickford is able to really excel. I'd link The Strugglers more closely to Pinetop Seven, Lofty Pillars, or any of Atavistic's other country-rock-indie.
Don't read too much into the Camper Van Beethoven reference, though; there's nothing ironic in Bickford's words. Bickford's lyrics likey come from rehashing dramatic moments in his life in his mind, over and over again. Bickford sings play-by-play of arguments and other terrible moments, the countless replays in his head shedding insight into the extra meanings hidden behind each word and glance. Actually, Bickford previously wrote me after one of my "analyses" of the lyrics on a prior record was pretty much completely off the mark. He gave a pretty thorough explanation of what he was trying to convey, which left me thinking "I was supposed to get this from that." (Although I didn't tell him that.) So I won't go into too much detail (I'll save you my analysis of "Necrophilia" - it is no doubt wrong). This album has two benefits though - 1) the catchier songs have pretty overt meanings and 2) the lyrics are included in the liner notes (bonus for those who buy music!).
Bickford may not have Callahan's skill or Kozelek's power, but You Win is still able to excel as midtempo indie country/pop that's heartfelt. And that's still enjoyable enough for me to embarrass myself by having to hold the artist off for a month or two while I try to find time to put a review together.
