Quick 'N Dirty Review: Adam Green | Minor Love

Before we start, here's a quick look at the rating system that we use here at The Dirtywhirl:

100 - Classic Album; One Of The Best Of All Time
99-90 - Exceptional Work; Rush Out And Get This
89-80 - Very, Very Good; You Should Still Go Out And Get This
79-70 - Not Bad At All; Might Actually Be Worth Your Time
69-60 - Has Its Moments But On The Whole... Meh
59-50 - Won't Make Your Ears Bleed; Won't Make You Dance, Either
49-0 - Don't Waste Your Time; You're Smarter Than This (Probably) 

Now... onto the review:

Adam Green | Minor Love

After seeing Kimya Dawson, his former partner in freak folk duo The Moldy Peaches, break into the mainstream with her work on the acclaimed 2008 film Juno, Adam Green returns with his bid for success in the form of his sixth solo record, Minor Love. While the poop jokes and songs about Jessica Simpson from previous records are largely gone, a large part of Minor Love suffers from Green’s insistence on emulating Lou Reed but ending up sounding like Reed if he was less of a musical genius and more like some dude who just decided to put out a record. He’s a storyteller pitching a tale that no one really wants nor needs to hear. “Breaking Locks” is the most successful Reed-influenced track with Green’s loping voice singing, “Breaking locks and getting shocked/ No one should ever hold me up/ I’ve been too awful to ever be thoughtful/ To ever be nice.” Another highlight is the Strokes on Quaaludes sound of “What Makes Him Act So Bad” but too much of Minor Love is a messy detour from the road that Reed tries to pave. “Goblin” doesn’t fit at all with the late night NYC vibe of the majority of the record, “Boss Inside” borrows much too liberally from Johnny Cash, and “Castles And Tassels”… well, I don’t really know what to make of that one with lyrics that include “Castles and tassels/ And flatulent assholes/ I love you/ Always.” Uh, yeah. That unpleasantness aside, Minor Love is pleasant enough at times but it’s fair to describe it as (pardon the word choice) a minor album. There’s nothing really special or dynamic about it. It’s Lou Reed For Dummies and it looks like Green’s going to have to find some measure of satisfaction in his old partner’s success ‘cause he ain’t seeing much of his own after a record like this.

Standout Tracks: “Breaking Locks;” “What Makes Him Act So Bad;” “You Blacken My Stay”

Dirty Rating: 45/100