Bobby Gaylor (Atlantic)
Something must have possessed Bobby Gaylor to commit to disc his reminiscences about growing up in Massachusetts . . . but whatever it was I doubt it was the spirit of entertainment.
Speaking over various styles of muted backing track, Gaylor rambles on about the pros and cons of suicide for teenagers, the sadism of frog-skinning, how smart animals are compared to humans, and masturbating.
Some of his louche, risque, often tongue-in-cheek narration is amusing, in a limp sort of way . . . until a point in track three, where it begins to grate and you find yourself muttering to Gaylor to shut up as you change the disc. Perhaps he sees himself as an avuncular philosopher; if so, he has neither the coolness of Gil Scott-Heron nor the warmth of Ian Dury to carry it off. Perhaps he just wants kids to think he knows where they're coming from. He won't win them over sounding like a ratchet-jawed expert on everything.