Low Pop Suicide
The Death of Excellence (World Domination)
by Marc Hirsh
Low Pop Suicide
The Death of Excellence (World Domination)
by Marc Hirsh
originally published in the Rice Thresher, February 24, 1995
Like Jennifer Trynin, Low Pop Suicide is Boston-based -- singer/guitarist/ songwriter Rick Boston, that is. Yes, it's a pretty bad joke, but that's appropriate. The Death Of Excellence is a pretty bad album.
Low Pop Suicide used to be a real band, but then drummer Jeff Ward ended his own life and bassist Dave Allen split to concentrate on the record label, leaving Boston with the unenviable decision of whether or not to keep things going. No prizes for guessing this one he's back with bassist Mark Leonard and drummer Melle Steagal in tow. Boston is quick to point out that this is a real band, not just a solo project under the band name, but that may just be to share the blame.
The problems start when Boston subjects every song to a grating whine that a lesser reviewer would say accurately reflects the tenor, the zeitgeist, the angst of our times. It's more likely that he just does it because he can't sing, chalking it up to expressiveness. Boston's not even a world-class whiner on par with someone like Axl Rose or Beck. When you're second-rate in a field that's an acquired taste anyway, it's probably time to pack it up.
It also doesn't help that the music is aimlessly derivative metallic sub-grunge art rock. The only song that even comes close to distinguishing itself is "Suicide Ego," a David Bowie-influenced tune that comes closer to ripoff than tribute. And I thought rock music had progressed beyond lyrics like "1-2-3-4-5-6-7, how many children get to go to heaven?"
The Death Of Excellence isn't an awful album. It's too boring, too uninspiring to elicit enough passion for me to really hate it. Which is precisely how I know it's a bad one.