This disc is the creation of a band in name only. Really, the four other members of NYC Smoke pictured within the CD booklet could be models, as Howie Statland is obviously the one calling all the shots, handling the songwriting, lead vocals, and guitar playing, not to mention the recording and producing of this album. The confidence of the album spills over from the lyrics (“I’m not gonna take your advice/’Cause I can’t hardly wait to leave you”) to the trust that Statland places in his ability to keep shifting the mood and attack of his songs and still maintain his audience’s attention. In reality, the album sounds unsettled as it moves from brooding New Wave-y rock to skipping Strokes boogies to pleading mid-tempo pop. It makes for a listening experience that is impenetrable for those who don’t already buy into Statland’s view of the musical world.
-- Bob Ham
