90th Post

EYES LIKE OCEANS

“For What It’s Worth”

* * * *

BEST IN THE WEST

The lead single from June, Miles Atkins’ debut release as Eyes Like Oceans (formerly The Secret Show), is his most human song by far. While Atkins has always been candid with his portrayal of emotions, no song of his so far has been able to dig into the meat of the human soul quite like this one. Over his trademark background of harsh strumming (enhanced by a lonely, achingly beautiful vamp), Atkins pours out his soul to a girl with the same mix of confidence and hesitance (note the off-beat rhythm guitar) as one who has resolved to take a leap of faith. After the second chorus, we hear that gorgeous riff ride onwards into the sunset and wonder how Atkins will resolve the situation. Finally, he drops the question: “Your place or mine?”

TY SEGALL

Goodbye Bread

* * 1/2

By Ty Segall standards, this album is really fucking slow. There are no garage-punk freakouts here, just a guy who used to be a manic one-man band trying his hand at some sensitive singer-songwritery shit. Unfortunately, Segall knows how to write exactly one singer-song. Most of these songs have the same backbeat, which isn’t necessarily a problem--for the first seven tracks. Then the beat marches out of your brain into the blue. Goodbye Bread’s thirty-three minutes actually feel like thirty-three minutes--with Segall, time usually flies by much faster.