Scotty Alan - Wreck And The Mess
2011, Spinout Records
2011, Spinout Records
Scotty Alan lives on the south shoreof Lake Superior in Michigan, in a log cabin he built himself. Alan lives very much on his own labors,hunting, fishing and farming. Livingwithin two-and-a-half miles of the house he grew up in, Alan is part of anextended family. While his ruralexistence didn’t expose him to a lot of music over the years, Alan has beenmaking his own since his early teens. From punk to singer/songwriter, Scotty Alan has always shown a penchantfor understanding and commenting on the world around him through song. Scotty Alan’s latest effort, Wreck And The Mess, finds Alan treadingthe backwaters of country, Americana and pop.
Wreck And The Mess opens with "Goodbye", a rustic song of partingwith a messy, organic feel. Amidst the violin, slide guitar and perfunctorypercussion, Alan plies an amiable, off-kilter voice that's part Luther Wright,part Roger Waters and part Mike Scott. "Your Hero?” a swaying littlecountry rocker, has a hypnotic appeal and a chorus that will get caught in yournoggin; you'll be singing along by the second time Alan runs through thechorus. "Ain't Much" blends spoken word and sung vocals in anyincredibly catchy number built on a minimalist arrangement with its roots inrockabilly. "Barn Dance" has a plaintive, relentless feel; a sense ofbelonging as palpable as it is ever-present.
"Not Ready To Be"describes a pair of star-crossed lovers in cliché-ridden imagery. In spite ofthis, there's a stubborn authenticity to the song that demands to be heard. On"Do It Alone", Alan takes a comically DIY perspective on his nextgreat love. The song is incredibly catchy and entertaining; the sort that wouldplay well on a movie soundtrack or on the old Dr. Demento Show. "Was ItEver?" looks back on a relationship in sadness, questioning everything andunderstanding little. The emotional impact of the tune is striking, especiallygiven the plaintive, almost rock-a-bye feel to the arrangement. Scotty Alanfinds a mild Pogues vibe on the country-flavored "So Loud". Startingout as a promising love song, "So Loud" descends into an emotionaldestruction that seems inevitable even if the song's narrator never saw itcoming. The song is catchy, with rudimentary pop hooks that snag your attentionand won't let go.
"Dusty Hollow" reflects aseemingly eternal angst born of having better places to go but no motivation toleave a place with little left to offer. The song ends in an almost spokenresolution, but it's not clear whether momentum ever changes in thefatalist-melancholy that pervades. Similarly, "Sinkin' In" wallows ina deepening sorrow over a goodbye that may or may not be final. Alan'sarrangement is sorrowful and dark yet retains a distinctive melodicism in spiteof its plaintive, dirge-like feel. Wreck And The Mess winds down withthe exuberance of "Someone To Fight", driven by a rapid-speak vocalstyle that's entertaining and raw.
Scotty Alan brings a unique andentertaining charisma to Wreck And A Mess, rough around the edges yetpossessing a distinctive, hard-won polish that simply can't be practiced. Itcan be difficult to stay with Alan through some of his more depressing countrynumbers, as the mood that pervades often surpasses melancholy quickly on theway down. Yet when Alan is changing up speeds between his darker and lightmaterial, and using his not inconsiderable wit to highlight the spaces inbetween, the results can be very entertaining. Wreck And A Mess is certainlynot an album you take lightly, for the darkness of mood here is more than justpalpable at times, but Alan has a way of throwing in the occasion backroomanthem with a wink and a nod just to let you know that everything is going tobe alright. Maybe.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)
Learn more about Scotty Alan at www.scottyalan.com or www.myspace.com/oldkilnroad.
Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.