Review: Damage Points

   Michael Flynn, Slow Runner's singer, held an interview with the album here. It's pretty zany, but it can give you a little insight into the nature of the creative thought of the band.

   Now, after having listened to the Damage Points, I have to admit that I don't think it has the kind of attitude it displayed during its interview. Alas, relationships something or someone has with a particular other person or thing will always be in the very least slightly different from the relationship it has with another person or thing. I guess Damage Points didn't really want me to see its sassy side. What I did see, though, was something enjoyable.

   Ever since I first heard Slow Runner back in 2006, I've always been attracted to the goofy, free-spirited character of their songwriting. Their first album No Disassemble showed us that while they can describe a flippant scene with such hilarious accuracy ("Break Your Mama's Back," "Redneck Bar"), they can also sing beautifully of some of the most raw and painful experiences ("Streamlined," "Don't Let Them See Me Like This"). Their second record, SHIV, was definitely a sophomore slump. It seems as though they glorified their kitsch, which just let the album more random and goofy than the last one. The heavy raw and heavy moments from its predecessor helped to balance the their flippancy. Likewise, their flippancy kept No Disassemble from being a drag. This contrast and balance is largely nonexistent in SHIV, and when the sad songs roll around, their more sappy than moving. Because of this, I tend to hardly listen to SHIV.

   Slow Runner made a come-back, however, when they released Mermaids, their third full-length album. While this album lacks jovial, campy songs, the quality of the songwriting was severely improved. It's a bit more pensive in its presentation, but that's what makes it pleasurable--that and simply knowing it's better than SHIT...I mean SHIV. "Horse Armor," "Trying To Put Your Heart Back Together," and "Love and Doubt" are all quite enjoyable songs. The overall theme of the album seems to be about love and renewal, rejection and closure. It's kind of loose, but the songs are sweet.

   And this brings us to Damage Points, which I don't know how to properly dissect. First of all, it has more 16 bit bleeps and blips than your average Nintendo game from 1986, but these are not the focal point of the record. They server more to support the songs, and if Slow Runner had cut them out, there would still be very listenable songs here. But that's my biggest setback about this album: is it merely listenable, or do I actually want to listen to it when I'm not listening to it. I need to listen to it some more before I make a final evaluation of it. I recommend that you check it out, too! iTunes has 90 second samples of each song, and they really can you a feel for how a record. I'll be posting more conclusive thoughts about Damage Points after I've had some time to let it digest a little. Be waiting for it.