Handed Down the Wire

Album Review

It's been a long time between recording sessions for former Camper Van Beethoven and Monks of Doom guitarist Greg Lisher. Ten years after the band's breakup, he made his solo debut, and what a happy surprise it is to hear that the guitarist hasn't lost his distinct sound, with its traces of punk, prog, and psychedelia. Dripping psychedelic, slide guitar and eerie keyboards hold down "By the Wayside"; "Fascination" duplicates the spirited "border" sound that Lisher employed to such great effect in Camper, while its lyrics poke fun at tabloid media. Yes, his tentative vocal style sounds like a less confident version of former Camper David Lowery, but contributing bits and pieces by old bandmates and multi-instrumentalists, Jonathan Segel and David Immerglück, and his core group — Victor Krummenacher on bass and Chris Pedersen on drums and percussion — keep it in the family; it makes for a comfortable and familiar, not to mention well-executed, recording.