Phiiliip
amassed over 1,000 songs in his formative years, but almost none of them saw the light of day until
Pet Cancer
. He spent a good part of those teenage years writing for
the Village Voice
,
the New York Press
, and obsessing over literature and kitschy music-making. So, it's rather fitting that
Momus
'
American Patchwork
label should release
's
, since so many parallels can be drawn between the two artists. At times,
seems almost the reincarnation of
in his younger, youthful folly. Tracks like
"(Inside The) Sleep Pavilion"
and
"Pet Cancer"
have similarly subtle
pop
sensibilities as
' work, even dating back to
' days in
the Happy Family
. Other tracks like
"I Like the Mission"
sound more akin to
Genesis P- Orridge
, just to draw up the range of this youngster's talents. Like
Circus Maximus
combines soft synths, disaffected, breathy vocals, and folky acoustic guitars for a dazzling, yet minimal effect. His true songwriting capacity shines through without being covered up in tawdry treatments.
instrumental
melange no doubt resembles the biggest purveyors of postmodern pastiche,
the Beta Band
, but
does it all on his own computer and with a bit more humility. On occasion, electronic beats slip into the mix, but these songs are truly based on melody and structure. A bright career lies ahead for this young performer. ~ Ken Taylor