I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME HOW TALL I AM
Review: LA Times
By Natalie Nichols
Produced by T Bone Burnett, this atmospheric debut by four Los Angeles-based British expatriates draws on the three-part harmonies of vintage California folk-rock and the subtle dynamics of No Depression bands such as Wilco. The songs balance emotional mystery and detail, most memorably on the wry, poignant "I Know Without Asking" and the wittily vulnerable "Sheer Volume of Traffic," which uses road anxiety as a metaphor for relationship angst. Indeed, singer-guitarist Simon Petty's lyrics easily measure up to the buzzed-about Ryan Adams, whose "Choked Up" proves less compelling here.
(Grade: B+)
From LA Times
© 2001, Los Angeles Times
