Owen is in fact Mike Kinsella. Yes, *that* guy's brother. Cap'n Jazz, Joan
of Arc, American
Football, Owls, and now Owen: that's quite a list of quote-unquote emo bands. It's
baffling to me how Joan of
Arc were considered emo, and other than elements of Cap'n Jazz I don't see
how any of the others
could be either. But, whatever, it doesn't really matter. Mike has drummed
in some great bands
his brother has led. He stepped to the front for American Football and
showed that his brother's
talents for guitar interplay and sonic tone may be a genetic thing.
A couple years after he did the American Football thing, he has now released
an album under this
strange moniker, Owen. It does none of the rocking American Football was
fond of, and instead
develops the idea of intricate guitar lines. The obvious reference point
here is Joan of Arc. The
guitar parts are very similar to the sort that made Joan of Arc the
brilliant group they were. In
light of Joan of Arc's recent breakup, this is very welcome. There is also
an air of folk in Mike's
songs; they aren't as jagged as Tim's. They flow without crashing to a
halt in the middle,
picking themselves off the ground just as the song ends. They are straight
forward, acoustic
ballads. Electric guitars serve to accent melodies, or as heady drones to
push a song over the
edge.
While the guitar playing is a perfect match of Tim's, his voice couldn't be
much further from his
brother's. Mike's voice is calm and always subdued. It never clamors to
steal the focus of the
song, always offering an interesting and pleasing home for your ear, but
leaving the option to
listen to the guitar line instead.
It's too bad Mike took so long to step out from behind the drums to make
such a beautiful,
intimate album. I hope he stays in the songwriter seat.
|
