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Daily O'Collegian
November 11, 2002
NUDE FURNITURE
Nude Furniture's newest LP, "Antidepressants,"
is not suited for compact disc. This album belongs
inside a vinyl cover, beneath a thin layer of crackling
plastic protectant, gleaming like a deep oil slick
as the owner slowly but anxiously places the musical
frisbee on a turntable and drops the needle to a
crackling burst of distortion before play begins.
From the opening chords of "Antidepressants,"
Nude Furniture guru Neil Dirickson makes it evident
that this one-man band's name was carefully chosen.
There are no decorations, restorations or bouncy
cushions in these old wave songs; "Antidepressants"
is just a sturdy, weather-stained oak chair, indestructible
and reliable, sitting in a room amongst La-Z-Boys
and massive leather couches, but curiously appealing
nonetheless.
So enough with the gushing imagery, Nude Furniture
is not about grandeur or intensity; it's about roots,
respect and that omniscient, relaxed rock feeling.
Dirickson is the classic walking influence, no doubt.
But if Nude Furniture could add one element to its
stock oak chair, it should be that perfect dent
in the cushion unique only to the rump curves of
the owner. That's the only rough spot on the disc.
"Antidepressants" depresses only when
the influences overshadow the music, like when Dirickson
rips a George Harrison-tinged guitar in "Ample
Lovin'," pumps up the tempo of the Eagles'
"Already Gone" during "Something
Snapped"
and does his best rendition of Dire Straits' "Sultans
of Swing" on "Mad At You." Every
now and then, the furniture needs a little contempo
updating and restoration.
But hell, 30 years ago Dirickson would have been
a regular Tom Petty. And like Petty, Nude Furniture
changes for nobody. Dirickson sticks to that patented
album-rock formula, a formula that works every time,
regardless of the variable.
"Freedom of Information" is a slow motion
replay of Petty's "American Girl" with
its resonating open chords and Dirickson's nasal
drawl. The melody of "I Couldn't Get My Act
Together" is straight from Phil Spector's bag
of harmonic goodies. In fact, Nude Furniture is
the whole bag of goodies, with no sour or spoiled
apples to offer.
Dirickson has assembled a surprise cast of musicians
to accompany him at his CD (it should be vinyl)
release party in Tulsa this weekend at The Loft
in the newly crowned Boston Music District (18th
Street and Boston Avenue). The all-ages show begins
at 9:30 p.m. for a cost of only $5, just like the
old days.
Raver Rating : 7.0 / 10.0 |
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