I'm at that point in my fandom of guitarist Mike Keneally where I pretty much like everything he does - I've listened enough to his old albums and know enough about the man himself that my fandom has deepened into the kind of warmth I feel for people I consider "family," whether related by blood or not. So there are times, like this for instance, that I often recall more what I love about the person, or their music as the case may be here, than what I actually do like about whatever endeavor that person has taken on. I hate saying it, because it does feel like I'm ripping on a family member, but the new Mike Keneally Band album leaves me wanting. The real problem I have with it is that it's half of a great album, at least time-wise, and the other half just kind of gets on my nerves.
The album starts off on a great note, with a lot of raw, minimalist rock-guitar type of music - it's nothing shockingly new but it's done with such vigor that it's a lot of fun to listen to. Of particular note are "Bober" and "Pride Is A Sin," which seem to remain in my head the longest. Equally likeable and fun are the other tracks, up to about track 8 - "Choosing To Drown."
I think I'm an adventurous listener, I've bathed my ears in glorious cacophonous free-jazz, but Dog takes a serious turn for the sour with me at "Drown." That's where my frustration sets in - the track starts off as an angular oddity with a vocal line that runs counter to the direction of the song. And it annoys the hell out of me. What annoys me even more is that two and a half minutes into the song out blasts one of the catchiest, strongs riffs Keneally has ever played. And then it's over - back to obtuse weirdness, albeit lesser-so than that preceding that great set of riffs - less than 50 seconds later. I want MORE of that riffing - it sets up a yearn in me as a listener, but alas it is not to be - perhaps, and I don't want to say this, but perhaps Keneally simply couldn't take it any further. And this is followed by an odd, jazzy number in the form of "Gravity Grab." On it's own it would be a fun little ditty, but sandwiched between "Drown" and the 15 minute freak-out "This Tastes Like A Hotel," it really just helps destroy the second half of the album for me. "Hotel" pretty much completely turns me 0ff - too long, too divergent, too little of much substance to keep me coming back for more. However, following the previous disjointed 20+ minutes of music is a cool, pseudo-bluesy creeper in the form of "Panda." Those with itchy trigger fingers are urged to skip directly to track 11.
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