Peter Searcy Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Three years after his first solo album, former Squirrel Bait frontman Peter Searcy is back with another set of introspective, acoustic-based singer/songwriter fare. Searcy is often compared both to Hüsker Dü's Bob Mould and the Lemonheads' Evan Dando, but on Couch Songs his sound is really more pre-punk than post-punk. Here he plays all the instruments (which include guitar, piano, mandolin, cello, and percussion) himself and sings all the parts; this gives the songs a certain immediacy and haunting intimacy, but for the most part they draw you in and then leave you unsatisfied. "Rewind" is a subtle, lovely, and gently heartbroken ballad of romantic regret, and on "Spinning" the combination of an unpretentious string arrangement and a hooky but even less pretentious melody works beautifully. Most of the rest of the program, though, either plods along depressingly or meanders aimlessly. This is the problem with one-man shows: without someone else in the studio to call you on it when you get too self-indulgent, the temptation to lapse into solipsistic wankery can be hard to resist. Not bad, but not great. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
'Could You Please and Thank You'
Release Date 2/22/2000
Tracks 11
Label Time Bomb
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Former Squirrel Bait leader (as well as a veteran of such groups as Big Wheel and Starbilly) Searcy sticks to the post-punk pop he artfully crafted on his earlier projects for his debut solo album. He's obviously older here (Squirrel Bait were mere teenagers when they hit) and his subjects have appropriately grown, too. Could You Please and Thank You suffers from a slight lack of focus (influences spotted here include the Replacements to Matthew Sweet to any number of the '90s alt-rock heroes), but the pleasantness of some of the songs gives it a decent balance. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
