The sophomore album by Chuck Cleaver’s post-Ass Ponys band is a solid collection of darkly sinuous rock and roll that might be most notable for Cleaver’s absence. Cleaver’s songwriting partner, Lisa Walker, gets the lion’s share of the leads here, writing and singing eight of the album’s twelve songs, leaving Cleaver mostly resigned to back-up duties. Walker’s songs tend toward the dirty and bluesy fuzzed-out rockers, and her lyrics are decidedly more obtuse, which give her songs a certain air of mystery absent from Cleaver’s franker, more clever tales. After opening with Cleaver’s “Trail of Sadness,” a tender tune about friend who left town, Walker steps forward with five of her own before the pair share verses on the driving “What’s-His-Name,” a clear album stand-out. The album continues with Cleaver and Walker sharing tracks until Walker closes things out with the gentle and ethereal “Vivian Girls.” Left For Dead is a fine achievement and a definite step forward for Wussy, but the album could have benefited from more Cleaver and the push and pull between songwriting styles.
--Frank Valish
