Regular Columnists

Artist: Casey Holford
Album: “bad spell good spell”
CD Review: If Liz Phair woke up one morning, stretched, and pulled a little brother from her third rib, this would be him. And that is high high praise from me, do not be misled.

Like Liz, the rhythms and melodies are full of surprises but completely sneak in your head and stick there. The lyrics can knock you flat without your ever seeing the windup. Lastly like Liz, his singing is not decorated or prettied up in any way. What he sings is what you get. And what you get I really liked.

This CD has a pleasing low-fi attitude and many playful touches. There’s an intelligence and enthusiasm here that I found impossible to resist. Casey is clever without being obnoxious, intriguing without being impossibly cute, complex and completely inviting at the same time.

What I find as his greatest strength is his surprising and unpredictable lyric imagery. He did not rhyme “light” with “night” or “tight” even once. Anywhere. One of my favorite lines is on “tickets to the show” where he sings “Cause I figure I could work out as a clown/Wear the red nose around town and breathe some funnier air”.

The whole CD is sweet, jangly, intelligent and playful. I highly recommend all pop lovers give this a listen.

http://www.cdbaby.com/holford1
http://www.caseyholford.com