Review: Owen

owen2
Owen
““No Good For No One Now””
(Polyvinyl Record Co.)

Michael Kinsella has been in my headphones in one band or another playing one instrument or another for about six years.  Mike is probably my proverbial Elvis except without the gut or the earth shattering following.  Mike is one of the calmest and most collected musicians I have ever had the pleasure of listening to and he is Owen.  After the demise of the first project that he spearheaded, American Football, he quickly put out the first self-titled Owen record after building a studio in his house and touring as the opening act for Rainer Maria.  As for the new Owen album, it is along the lines of the first Owen album except “No Good For No One Now” is more direct lyrically and complete instrumentally.  In case you were wondering, Mike sits around with his acoustic guitar and writes very thematic emotional music.  Kid you not, Mike’s voice is so riddled with emotion that first I want to cry and then I can’t stop smiling.  Every track on here fits, but the more notable include “Poor Souls”, “The Ghost of What Should’ve Been” and of course “Nobody’s Nothing”.  I personally think Owen puts so many bands to shame and that if people could hear either of his albums just one time their ears would be instantly intoxicated.  If you only buy one album this year strongly consider this one.