Owen
"No Good for No One Now"
(Polyvinyl Records)

Mike Kinsella has always been known for producing a sound unique from
anybody else and this statement remains true in the newest release from his
group Owen. The sound of Owen's last record has been carried over to this
one, but has been upgraded. "No Good..." sounds like the complete package
of a recording where the first one fell short...substance.

For those unfamiliar with Owen, the sound is mellow and acoustic based rock
featuring occasional electronics and brooding melodies. The new record feels
less like one big swell and more like a well thought out masterpiece. The
highlight of this is the guitar work, as has been true for everything
Kinsella has ever been a part of. The beautiful intertwining of the melodies
alone makes this worthy of a purchase. Even the drumming caught my attention
in one track where the drums play a beat in 5/4 while every other voice is
still in 4, hence lining up after the 5th time in 4. The music overall just
seems...smarter.

The one big complaint I have about Kinsella's work in Owen is that he sings
too much. I would love sometimes for him to be quiet so I could hear all the
interesting musical concepts happening. This Owen release also shows
Kinsella's potty mouth, which is something we saw nothing of in the last
one. I don't mind swearing, but in a group like this it doesn't seem to fit
very well. Whenever I heard him mutter an "f" word, my concentration on the
music was broken. The first record is a better one to listen to if you're in
a mood to get lost in the music, but this second release will hold your
interest longer. Fans of American Football and Joan of Arc will especially
dig this.

-Mike