Inexactness

Tony Hill specializes in the kind of garage rock noodling that was an underground force in the late '60s/early '70s. His psychedelic arrangements and dark vocal lines are actually quite interesting, as he obviously has a knack for making the dark rumblings that he does. There are really only two things wrong with this album, but both of them are very apparent. First of all, the awkward use of violin and viola makes the album an uncomfortable venture, as the J. Mascis-style noise that Hill pours from his guitar directly goes against the sweet sound of the violin strings. Second, his voice simply lacks the passion and drive that this brand of music needs. He sounds tired and depressed, but not in a catchy/grungy kind of way. What this music needs is an Iggy Pop or Roky Erikson type of singer, not Hill's bland vocals. There is some surprisingly good music to be found on this album if the listener can overlook the vocals, but overlooking the vocals may be too much of a chore for most.