SelfNoise

Album Review

This New York-based musician uses equal amounts of Robbie Robertson and Lou Reed to create his descriptive and personal vignettes. Using a sparse amount of instruments, Skane relies on the lyrics to carry most tracks. "Into Your Soul" is a good example of this, despite falling off slightly near the end. When the beat picks up on the "$15.00 Room," the corny idea of a conversation with Jesus about guitar heroes isn't so far-fetched. Each song builds on the momentum of the previous track, giving the album a strong cohesion. "It's a Great Day" is a fine effort, with a simple rock arrangement resulting in a far bigger payoff. Skane tends to shine on the slower material though, resembling Paul Westerberg on the tender, acoustic-driven "Jennifer and James." "Hard to Understand" is the album's best track, with Skane sounding quite like Jakob Dylan. Only on "Troubadour Extraordinaire" does Skane get a bit too wordy, resulting in a rather bland performance. "Mercer Street Breakdown" doesn't get bogged down in a confessional dialogue or samples. In fact, it adds a certain intangible, which works well with the singer/songwriter melody. The closing ramble and loop on "Kiss in 3D" is one of the more inane efforts you'll hear, but the overall effort is superior.