Super XX Man - Vol. IV
(Peek-A-Boo)
Super XX Man is a solo project for Scott Garred, the front man of the Austin
emo/pop group Silver Scooter. Garred says this record, Vol. IV, is a
byproduct of his realization that he was "still in love with the music my
parents made me listen to on those long drives in the family motor home."
As such, Super XX Man adds a country flair to the pop hooks of Silver Scooter,
presenting them in standard singer/songwriter, stripped-down arrangements,
using mostly acoustic guitar but backing it with drum machine, drums, bass,
keyboards, and lapsteel. While this is in the singer/songwriter domain, it is
much better classified as just country-fried acoustic pop as its strong points
are definitely more in the hooks and melodies than in the emotion or meaning
of Garred's vocals.
The layout and design of the track listing on the back cover provides an
adequate perspective on the emotional scope of the record. The lyrics to
the songs, aided by the breezy melodies, only provide a Polaroid snapshot
of people and situations. While some singers not only bring you in but pull
you in, forcing you to feel their highs and lows, Garred seems to keep the
listener at arm's length, showing you his snapshots of places he's been and
people he's cared about but never revealing the real stories that lie
underneath. While this lessens the impact of the record, it does let the
guitarwork and melodies stay in the forefront, which stay sufficiently fresh
and upbeat, keeping the record interesting through its 31 minutes. Hey, it's
still summer, I guess; why cry about how sad life can be when you can just sit
on the porch, play the guitar, and be content with the journey thus far?
|
