So So Gay
Jake Basford reviews Rob Me Blind, the latest album by singer-songwriter Jay Brannan
When we heard of Jay Brannan’s new album, Rob Me Blind, we immediately jumped at the chance to review it; here is the track-by-track breakdown:
Everywhere There’s Statues: With a sweet melody that clashes against the depressing lyrics, we are unsure if this song is genuinely heartfelt, or just pretentious and emo-tastic. Either way, the vocals are pure and lovely, if a little repetitive, and the use of gentle background violins is nice.
Beautifully: Haven’t we heard this somewhere before? Oh yea – Shortbus. The lyrics may have changed, but other than that it is essentially the same song. Except with more backing instrumentation.
The Spanglish Song: OK, so we were totally ready to pan this song, but then the chorus kicks in and it gets better. It is sweet and lofty, and has a beat applied to the chorus, but the lyrics are a bit immature and are more reminiscent of a teenage crush than a true love song. Or ‘total BS’ as a friend of ours said.
Rob Me Blind: Up the tempo, pump out the bass, and make the electro synth harder and you have a kick-ass dance track. Please can someone remix? Otherwise this is just a song to slash your wrists to.
Greatest Hits: Bittersweet and simple, this song is depressing. ‘Don’t sing for the rainbow’? Um, are you gay or not? Stripped back to guitar and vocal, it is nice but not really something you want to put on in the background of a dinner party in case the guests top themselves over the soufflé.
La La La: We love the first verse in all its hilarity, but the melding of genres later on is silly, and as much as we love ‘Seasons of Love’ from Rent, utilisation of its ideas is confined to that musical only. The lyrics are smart, and if only the style of the first verse were continued throughout, we’d love it.
Denmark: Unique turn of phrase but whether that is a good thing or not is another matter entirely. Another acoustic guitar and vocal solo, this is starting to sound repetitive. Lovely voice, but can we see a new idea please?
Myth of Happiness: Cute and sweet, but tinged with sadness. The drumbeat makes for something new.
The State of Music: Depressing. And no, we are not talking about the state of music in general.
A Love Story: Emotionally mature and wonderful, this song discusses love without having to get all over-indulgent. The vocals and guitar are played well throughout, and it kind of ticks on by to be a song you can actually stand still to listen to.
Overall, this album skates by on the fact that Jay has a nice voice and is a good guitarist, but doesn’t bring anything else to the table. He tries a number of different genres and styles and yet it all boils down to a sweet motif, an over-emotional overlay and a lacklustre reaction. We expected more.
Rob Me Blind is available for purchase now
