The second album from Jeff Tweedy and Jim O'Rourke's Loose Fur side-project was released in 2006. If anything, it's less cohesive than the debut. Instead of going for a purely immersive effect, they've decided that rocking out might be worth a try. Hey Chicken swaggers in on Stones-y rock riffs, and rocks out for a solid three minutes before checking out. The Ruling Class follows, all country strumming and good-natured whistling. Stupid as the Sun is a kind of boppy rock song, sung by O'Rourke, it's not unpleasant but a bit forgettable. The clattering Apostolic and Pretty Sparks are less pleasant, you could live without them. Thou Shalt Wilt and Wanted are easy enough to listen to, if a little anonymous.
For those who enjoyed the first Loose Fur album they are best directed to the more introspective tracks here. Answers To Your Questions sounds more like a Jim O'Rourke track than anything else here. A gentle ballad sung by O'Rourke, it's a quiet beauty with a fine touch of steel guitar. The instrumental An Ecumenical Matter, has gorgeous summery guitar licks and nice bit of piano. At eight and a half minutes, Wreckroom is the longest track here, and its ebb and flow would not have been out of place on Wilco's A Ghost Is Born album, with fine guitar work ranging from lazy licks to full-on pounding riffs. The last four minutes of the track or mainly a muted, piano coda with a hint of percussion.
So a fairly mixed, and mixed-up album, one that doesn't hang together particularly well but has its moments.
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