Jay Reatard, Watch Me Fall

Published on September 29th, 2009 in: Current Faves, Issues, Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |

By Less Lee Moore

Maybe he’s grown up a bit since the days when the Memphis music scene dubbed him “Little Lord Punkleroy,” but thankfully, Jay Reatard hasn’t become boring.

In a recent article on the Matador Records blog, he noted:

“A lot of bands these days, they approach the making of an album like it’s collecting songs, they don’t think about how all of the songs are going to work together. They sequence their albums on iTunes, wondering what songs sound best next to each other rather than putting them together as they were written. That’s not an album.”

watch me fall cover

If these songs were written in the order they appear on the album, then Watch Me Fall is a great achievement for Jay Reatard. If you listen closely enough, you can actually hear the sound of an artist evolving.

Watch Me Fall is the latest offering from Jay Reatard, his first “official” album since 2006’s Blood Visions. Although this album’s running time zips by in a little less than a half hour, these 12 tunes are crammed full of hooks and Reatard’s distinctive brand of endearing nihilism.

The songs share much of the same lyrical concerns as the Matador Singles ’08 collection: confusion, failure, revenge, self-doubt, going crazy, giving up, and sitting in your bedroom just being pissed off at the world. Such themes might seem teenaged at first glance, but these are things that we can all relate you; if you pretend that you can’t, then you are obviously lying to yourself.

Somehow Reatard gives these ideas weight without being too heavy. And in trying not to make the album more than it is, he pulls off a neat trick: he actually makes it more than it is.

The first five songs on the album dash out of the gate at breakneck speed, like a sonic and lyrical bridge from last year’s singles. Yet these songs are catchier; the harmonies are sweeter and more yearning. “Faking It” is the zenith of the first half, combining captivating melodies with lyrics that are anything but cheerful. The mix of the whiny “love it or hate it” Reatard squeak and his deeper vocal register is fantastic, and when backed by such a tight rhythm section, it’s undeniably addictive.

“I’m Watching You,” one of last year’s singles, appears again, but in more fully realized form, starting off with a short nod to Nick Lowe’s “Cruel To Be Kind” and then veering into a guitar solo that is almost Smiths-like.

It’s a fantastic introduction to the second half of the album, which although somewhat less frenetic, continues the momentum. Both “Wounded” and “Rotten Mind” are pure pop goodness, while “Nothing Now” has a unique song structure that builds suspense but does not disappoint.

“Hang Them All” is astoundingly good, luring us in with staccato riffs and amazing pacing, and then exploding into a totally different second half, conveying a feeling of impending joy, like the high after an anxiety attack.

The last song, “There Is No Sun” is absolutely lovely, with touching lyrics and great vocals from Reatard. The chorus is nothing short of transcendent; with lyrics like “there is no sun for me” this likely seems inconceivable unless you actually hear it. It ends with a string section.

Don’t misunderstand; these are all still pop songs. The last decade or so has instilled a deep-seated mistrust and even hatred of pop music because it’s associated with so much cookie cutter crap. Plus, there is the fear that pop music is not real “art.” You should not, however, be afraid to love this album. With a name like Reatard, you might be worried. But you shouldn’t be.

Jay Reatard is the real thing, As we lurch forward into the second decade of this new millennium, such an endorsement might seem meaningless, but trust me, it is not. He is on the cusp of something huge. Yet lyrics like “surrounded by people who wanna watch me fall” indicate some serious ambivalence about his situation. Let’s hope no one pushes him over the edge and that he continues to share his prodigious talents with all of us.

Watch Me Fall came out on August 18 on Matador Records. Jay Reatard is currently on the Shattered Records Tour with with Nobunny, Hunx & His Punx, Box Elders, and Useless Eaters. Their next stop is in New York, New York on October 1. For more information on tour dates and to hear tracks from Watch Me Fall, please check out Reatard’s Official Site or MySpace page.

RELATED LINKS:

Review of Jay Reatard, Matador Singles ’08, Popshifter January/February 2009 issue

2 Responses to “Jay Reatard, Watch Me Fall


  1. noreen:
    September 30th, 2009 at 2:30 pm

    Great review and a really good record.

  2. Popshifter:
    September 30th, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    Thanks!

    LLM







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