Eric Avery - Help Wanted Review
Posted by Jesse Coy on 04.25.2008
For which famous band was this musician a co-founder? If you can tell me without cheating and looking it up, I'll send you a lollipop. His first solo release sounds nothing like that band, by the way... read on.
Eric Avery Help Wanted
April 2008
Dangerbird Records
So much music, so many new and unknowns just float my way, as labels or PR departments try to get their bands over, get them some notice and attention. As would be expected, there’s a lot of gunk that just doesn’t register with me in any way. I’m not saying other people might not like it. But me? There’s a lot out there that goes in one ear and out the other.
I’ll start listening to an act before I read the press sheet. If the band doesn’t stick within the first three songs, it’s doubtful they’ll stick at all. Why would I want to read about a band that doesn’t interest me, and since I rarely write reviews that really knocks an artist (momma taught me… if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all)… they fall by the wayside.
So Eric Avery… the name didn’t register with me. Someone out there might email me and say the name hit them immediately. He’s from an act I know quite well. It’s just that I listen to so many bands… who can remember all those musician names.
I played the first track of this release, “Belly of An Insect,” and I thought… this is a cool song. It was hard to peg. It was sort of spacey, but also sort of Bowie-ish during his Berlin era. Electronic rock, maybe? Also, I liked the vocals a lot. I’m a stickler for that. If the vocals aren’t good, or aren’t what I like in a vocal delivery, forget about it.
The vocal style to me was reminiscent of alternative industrial… just a good style in general. I can list acts, like Fatima Mansions, early Jawbox, Joy Division, or Chris Connelly… I can’t quite isolate the style. It's definitely not high-pitch whine or that sweet vocal crap style I hate. It’s closer to bass, but not quite deep bass, either.
By the time the fourth track, “Revolution,” hit, I’m thinking to myself… this is pretty damn good. It’s this weird, happy piano, leading into some great verse…
No Mao Tse Tung
or holy kingdom coming
revolution of no one.
No collective voice
or salvation
No Cry to the sky
Just a low hum…
Okay… who knows who Eric Avery is? Well, we’re talking a band mate and co-founder of Jane’s Addiction. Did you know that? Anyhow, since I liked this CD and wanted to review it (and no, I wouldn’t have guessed Jane’s Addiction musician by the musical style), I skimmed the press sheet.
What have we got here? Ah… Shirley Manson of Garbage co-writing the lyrics for one track, and doing guest vocals with Avery there, too (on “Maybe”). There’s this other guy I heard of… uh, Flea. Pardon me, I’m being silly… but he does some horn work on “Song in the Silence.”
Personally, in addition to the opening track and “Revolution,” my other favorite track on this is “Walk Through Walls,” which to me, without copying it in any way, has more of that 70’s Bowie Berlin feel. Great damn track… on an album worth checking out.
The 411: Very worthwhile... nothing like Jane's Addiction. I hope to see a follow-up, but he may be touch and go with releasing material.
