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Owen

No Good For No One Now (2002)
Polyvinyl Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Scott
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on November 19th 2002

Mike Kinsella has been an integral part of the midwestern emo scene. Drumming for midwestern emo founders Cap'n Jazz [a band I never got into] as well as for the uber-(f)artsy Joan Of Arc [a band I still loathe]. Let's also not forget that he currently plays drums for Cap'n Jazz part two, better known as the Owls [another band who I just don't enjoy]. So one would think that if all these bands have Mike Kinsella in them, then I wouldn't enjoy them?

Wrong! See, all those bands have Tim Kinsella in them - his evil more than cancels out Mike's good. But when Mike is without his annoying brother, he makes amazing music - take one listen to American Football's full length if you don't believe me.

So now Mike has Owen, his semi-new solo project. Every last noise on this album is created by Mike, so it is void of anyone's creative input. This is partly where the CD fails. Sure, Mike is great at creating really, really pretty songs, but with no yang to his yin, they tend to fall a bit flat. American Football succeeded with the dichotomy between Mike and Steve Lamos - now that Mike is alone, he loses part of his spark.

And to replace that spark, he seems to resort to profanity.

No, seriously. Almost every one of the seven lengthy tracks on this CD contain the word "fuck," and most times are ad-libbed [since they aren't in the lyric sheet]. To paraphrase the Big Lebowski: Dude, do you have to use so many gull-darn curse words? It really kills a lot of the songs. The music will be sliding by, with Mike's excellent semi-abstract-but-still-able-to-tell-a-story lyrics, and then he just utters "fuck" and it ruins the whole thing. I'm not one against profanity, but man, it just doesn't fit Mike's image at all.

But then again, maybe that's the point - maybe Mike is sick of people hating Tim, and thinking he's the pretentious one while everyone else looks to him to write songs about puppy dogs and sunsets with your girlfriend. This might be Mike's form of rebellion - make the same really, really smooth, relaxing indie rock he's always had a penchant for making, but shock the listener with the words.

Or maybe I'm just too damn tired and should stop reading into CDs too much.

MP3
The Ghost Of What Should Have Been

REAL AUDIO
The Ghost Of What Should Have Been

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Anonymous (March 24, 2006)

good cd. not pop-punk. emo? maybe if youre into genres.

overall solid. and use of profanity isnt that ridiculous.

Anonymous (March 24, 2004)

never heard this album. dont even like shitty pussy emo. but to say using the word 'fuck' is a bad thing... let me tell you something; saying fuck is a good fucking thing no matter what the fuck context its fucking used in. stupidest fucking thing i ever fucking read "then he says fuck and ruins it" go fuck yourself you fucking twat. FUCK

Anonymous (November 21, 2002)

anything this guy touches is gold. american football, owls, cap'n and now this. i have seen jesus and he is mike kinsella.

Huey (November 21, 2002)

Scott, while I will admit the random uses of "fuck" came way out of left field, the way they it is expressed is still very clever, and fits in with the high emotional level of these songs. Mike is a great song-writer. American Football rules, and so does everything Owen has put out, including this. This album is beautiful, angsty. Owen's music may not be groundbreaking persay, but it definitely is one of the brightest spots in indie rock today. I have no problems with this album. Hell, the artwork is even cool. Yes, the whole little kid and ducks thing is cute. As for Cap'N Jazz, I credit them for creating the whole midwestern emo explosion. They made some incredible music, and they also made some lackluster music. Nonetheless, the 2XCD anthology is definitely worth the purchase to hear their one and only full length, which kicks major ass. I'm not a big Joan Of Arc or The Owls though. Mike is a talented guy. His drumming is great too. He's just a great fucking musician. This will definitely find a place on my top ten list at the end of the year. I hope Polyvinyl keeps cranking out good tunes like this.

Anonymous (November 21, 2002)

It is a cute cover isn't it? It's damn so cute it's giving me a hard-on that is busting through my pants. I can't stop thinking about it, I gotta play with it! I just gotta!! I'm gonna beat my dick like it owes me money.

BurstAndBloom (November 20, 2002)

Never heard this band, but this is such a cute album cover.

Melissa

Anonymous (November 20, 2002)

uh.....no.

Anonymous (November 19, 2002)

"a small child playing with birds!!

Damn I'm horny as hell now."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!

lol fucking no priests should fucking buy this fucking album! or may be they fucking should.

cubaricho (November 19, 2002)

I definetly have to disagree with this review, this album is an amazing and solid album.

Anonymous (November 19, 2002)

i think this album is great. polyvinyl hasn't put out a bad record yet.

Anonymous (November 19, 2002)

""what else else in this fucking empty room reminds me of fucking you?" = the best use of the word "fuck" in a song ever."

that's helarious

the>muffin>girl