Listening Priority: High
Mix the spontaneous stylings of Avey Tare, the freaky folk of a young Beck, and the wit and attention to detail of The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle and what do you get? If you'll forgive the cheap comparisons, a spiky artist known as John Thill. Thill's canvas is the cassette, his brush an acoustic guitar, his palette searing vocals, and his subject the Californian locales and citizens that aren't usually immortalized in songs. Thill's tools are certainly ragtag but they're never limiting. He's free to write spur-of-the-moment lyrics to tunes that could care less about what you think (yet manage to be memorable). In a world where guyswithguitars/"singer-songwriters" have somehow become lyrically boring and overproduced, Thill's music reminds us of the possibilities of the format. The jokingly titled compilation throws together love songs ("This Bed is Not a Bed," "Love DUI"), driving tunes ("We Smoked Speed," "Farewell Pomona"), odes to certain kinds of SoCal gals ("Las Lonely Girls," "Rich Girlfriend"), sketches ("The Eclipse"), and doodles ("What is Los Angeles?"). Many of these are populated with left turns or a suddenly screamed chorus that will jolt you out of any apathy toward the music. This definitely isn't for everyone, but 1. even those who don't enjoy his music would probably politely admit that Thill is never boring and 2. Volume II serves as a fine introduction to the sprawling discography of this California troubadour.
Mix the spontaneous stylings of Avey Tare, the freaky folk of a young Beck, and the wit and attention to detail of The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle and what do you get? If you'll forgive the cheap comparisons, a spiky artist known as John Thill. Thill's canvas is the cassette, his brush an acoustic guitar, his palette searing vocals, and his subject the Californian locales and citizens that aren't usually immortalized in songs. Thill's tools are certainly ragtag but they're never limiting. He's free to write spur-of-the-moment lyrics to tunes that could care less about what you think (yet manage to be memorable). In a world where guyswithguitars/"singer-songwriters" have somehow become lyrically boring and overproduced, Thill's music reminds us of the possibilities of the format. The jokingly titled compilation throws together love songs ("This Bed is Not a Bed," "Love DUI"), driving tunes ("We Smoked Speed," "Farewell Pomona"), odes to certain kinds of SoCal gals ("Las Lonely Girls," "Rich Girlfriend"), sketches ("The Eclipse"), and doodles ("What is Los Angeles?"). Many of these are populated with left turns or a suddenly screamed chorus that will jolt you out of any apathy toward the music. This definitely isn't for everyone, but 1. even those who don't enjoy his music would probably politely admit that Thill is never boring and 2. Volume II serves as a fine introduction to the sprawling discography of this California troubadour.