Gingersol - The Train Wreck is Behind You
(Rubric)
Call it emo with balls, although "slacker pop" will probably go down better in family magazines, this pleasant collection of over a dozen pop confections (a reissue of the band's self-released third album) is a very enjoyable, easy listening experience. Hookladen and catchy as hell, this is one of those albums where every song sounds great while you're listening to it, but once it's over only a few tracks remain in your head-sort of like a Chinese dinner. But let's see if we can't pay special attention to the lovely harmonies on "King Sized Doubt" or categorize "Face Up Again" as the best song Teenage Fan Club never wrote and a surefire Top 10 hit. Radiohead fans may find a lot to like in the sleepy, blink-and-you-missed-it title track, while folks living on the Tobin Sprout side of the Guided By Voices fence will fall in love with the 70 second "Fall Beneath the Radar," as infuriating and great as the best minute-long GBV tracks. The punchy "Make It Stand" is one of several tracks which lovingly recall the best of Shoes ("I'm Sure" is another such highlight) and lead songwriter Steve Tagliere even breaks into a sweat over his brief, but competent guitar solo on the former.
The short instrumental "Still Life" sounds like an Angelo Badalamenti outtake from his "Twin Peaks" soundtrack sessions—it's out of place in it's current surroundings, but lovely nevertheless. Overall, I can think of worse ways to pass the time between bonghits. To paraphrase Dimone's classic guide to getting laid from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High": "When in doubt, slap on Side Two of [Gingersol's Train Wreck is Behind You.]" Because, boys, if you can't score with that hot betty you've been ogling after slapping this on in the background, you might as well hang it up and head back to your collection of Maxims you've got stuffed under your mattresses. I've got a feeling I'll be remembering this one at my yearend "best of" ceremonies.
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