Artist: Remy Zero
Album: The Golden Hum
File Under: Artsy rock you'll actually listen to more than once.
Grade: 8.5
As cool as hidin' Playboys under your matress.
 
A few weeks ago I was bashing all those bands who use numbers at the end of their name.  As we know, there are exceptions to every rule, and in this case the exception would be Remy Zero.  I bought this album a while ago, and I have really been listening to it a lot.  The only reason I call it art rock is because it lacks that "radio" sound of so many other albums, and it really has some interesting textures and stylings that seperate it from the next album.  Without a doubt it is rock, but what makes Remy Zero a good band is their ability to present it in a new way that seems fresh.  Their influences are easy to pinpoint(REM, U2, etc...), but they use this as a weapon rather than a crutch.  This is great music with a great vibe.  The reason the album got only a 8.5 was because this miserable bloody-tampon-of-a-song called "Perfect Memory" that really sucked a nut.  It's one of those songs that you'd hear at a high school graduation or something.  Other than that, this is a solid album from a very good band.  If you check this album out and like it, be sure to check out their 1998 release, "Villa Elaine" too.
 
-Mr Pickles 
"...the other day I went to the store and I saw a guy buying 63 of those $1 microwave dinners.  How do I know there were 63?  I counted 'em."