And what lyrics! Gedge takes the basic rhyming couplet as far as any rock songwriter before him. From "Estrella," in which he begs his girlfriend to take note of his cheating, and make it easy by breaking up with him: "Oh, yes believe me, yes, you should leave me/You're making it too hard/How can you disregard/What I'm doing, who I've been screwing?" From the ironically-titled "Get Smart," imploring his adulterous wife to be a bit more discreet: "No don't flip, here's a tip: all it needs is a little thought/This will surprise you, but I don't want you to get caught/That's a price that I'll pay to stop you going away/Keep telling your lies, I won't criticise if it means you will stay."
The album winds up on a much more tender note, "Health and Efficiency," in which Gedge looks back wistfully on a youthful love affair. As he notes, "This is such a cliche but/You don't appreciate the joy until you lose it." As true of the passing of early-90s alt rock as of anything else. Here's to the possible signs of a new spring.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Smoking list, C, thanks.
2 - The Theory
agreed. and, as I previously mentioned elsewhere... YHF by Wilco is just amazing.
peace.
3 - Nick
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is only one of the three best CDs put out in the past five years. They include Sonic youth's "Sonic Nurse" and Anna Nalick's "Wreck of the Day." You may disagree with me on that last one, but the first two mentioned are supremely good.