Vol. IV

Super XX Man is the folksy alter-ego of Scott Garred, otherwise known as the frontman for the phenomenally underrated soft indie pop outfit Silver Scooter. Garred's songs are unassuming and almost commonplace in their focus on the ins and outs of everyday life, which makes them all the more remarkable. A simple voice and a pretty, sometimes sparse guitar populate most of the album, but as with Silver Scooter, and artists like Elliott Smith and The Trouble With Sweeney, great impressions are made through simple means.

Playing like a teary Miss Lonelyhearts' column, Garred songs focus on loneliness and loss and heartache, but with enough of a twist on the usual "boy meets girl" cliché to sound fresh and interesting. His nonchalant vocal style is a bit talky at times, but always endearing, and perfect in that he articulates all of his thoughtful lyrics so clearly.

Volume IV sounds intimate and immediate, but never forced or contrived. It's the sort of music people make because they simply have to get it out of their system, not because they want a fancy record deal (not that he wouldn't deserve it). A project that emerged from friends' desire for Garred to release the modest recordings he'd been making and keeping private, Super XX Man's fourth installment maintains that same secret feeling.

Garred's Silver Scooter called it quits in 2002, but Garred continues to write, record, and occasionally play live as Super XX Man. ~ Karen E. Graves, Rovi