Mitchell Rasor - Hive That is My Head (CD)

All Music Guide

Mitchell Rasor's head is apparently abuzz with a rock-folk (as opposed to folk-rock) hybrid that owes equal debts to '60s psychedelia, '70s Neil Young, and '80s college radio. Voices peal above busy electric guitars and loud drums in arrangements that nonetheless allow for plenty of open space. Banjo, harmonica, and acoustic guitar, both strummed and picked, sometimes take over, but the spirit is always more bohemian basement than hootenanny. "Roman Hands" recalls the Kinks' pastoral Village Green period, while "Radio Juan," from the title down, is a nod to early REM, though with more muscle and less hook. "What You Don't Know" could be a lost contender for Lenny Kaye's Nuggets compilation if it weren't so laid-back. In fact, the relaxed vibe starts to sink the album about a third of the way through as songs pleasantly run their course without asserting themselves. While the vocals are up-front and clear on the choruses, they tend to melt back into the mix during the verses, leaving th...e listener with little to latch onto. At best, the lyrics achieve a mantric simplicity ("Down by the riverside/I buried the feelings I could not hide," Rasor repeats on the opener, "Largess"). At worst, they remain stubbornly cryptic, refusing to engage or even be heard. Smarty-pants titles like "Largess," "Pick-Up Trucks Revisited," and "Audrey's Diorama" don't help matters. And yet, all the alienating flaws cease to matter when "X-Ray Love" comes along. It closes the album with a round of gorgeous finger-picking, leaving the listener to wonder if there's something she missed in the rest of the songs, if perhaps there's more to Rasor's talents than meet the ear. Of course, there's no way to find out except to play the whole thing over again. - Daniel Browne, All Music Guide Read more Less