For the past 11 years, perennial garage-rocker Jay Reatard has been churning out albums almost faster than they can be recorded. But is such an intense production rate compromising the quality of the music? Like The Ramones (or, dare I say it, Status Quo), Reatard has found his formula - three-chord garage punk, it so happens - and is sticking to his guns religiously when he should be more open to experimentation. For the most part, this album is pretty standard fare. Whilst there is nothing particularly bad about tracks such as It Ain’t Gonna Save Me and Rotten Mind, they come across as slightly unsubstantial. Nevertheless, they chug away pleasently in a very New Wave fashion.
The more interesting moments in this album come when deviations from the arbitrary garage rock formula are made; Can’t do it Anymore sounds like an early Devo tune reimagined by Billy Childish; I’m Watching You contains slabs of doors-influenced organ and the sort of echoing vocals and expansive guitar lines that could make The Jesus and Mary Chain blush. The album's highlight, however, is Wounded, an acoustic number that marries a ceaselessly pounding rhythm of guitar and drums with an infectious folksy riff. One can only imagine how good Reatard would be if all of his songs were as meticulously crafted as this.
Despite the album’s shortcomings, it's always a treat to hear rock ‘n’ roll stripped down to its most basic level, especially in this age of over-produced, ultra-glossy sounding records. Not many can pull of this vintage garage sound with as much deftness as Reatard. Hives, take note...
Greg.
n.b. Watch Me Fall is out now on Matador Records.
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