Fresh Mowed Lawn, the self-titled debut album from Sun Sawed in 1/2's Tim Rose, has been one of the more anticipated power pop debuts of the year, if for no other reason than Not Lame (which is serving as label as well) has been advertising its upcoming release since about Christmas. It's finally due out next Tuesday, and having listened to it for a few weeks now, it was definitely worth the wait and will be a top-10-of-06 contender for many out there (perhaps including myself).
Bruce at Not Lame compares it to
Elvis Costello`s "Imperial Bedroom", Van Dyke Parks, High Llamas, The Sea & the Cake, XTC, Tears For Fears (think: "Sowing The Seeds Of Love" vibe), The Polyphonic Spree and Beulah.I can't disagree with these comparisons, but a couple I'd like to add are even bigger names in the pop pantheon: The Beatles (I get a Side 2 of Abbey Road vibe here at times), and Big Star (circa Radio City and especially Third/Sister Lovers). My personal favorites are the Chiltonesque "Wish It All Away", the pure pop of "Curded Wheys", and the opener "Watching The World Turn Slowly/From This Day Forward".
Not Lame is offering up a full-length mp3:
Wish It All Away
Full-length mp3 streams are available at Rose's site; just click on "music" and you can hear the whole album, one track at a time. It's really the type of album you need to listen to end-to-end. I wasn't giving it justice as part of a random iPod rotation when I first received it, but when I took the time to listen to it all the way through, its high quality become readily apparent.
I agree with the comparison to Elvis Costello. This is both a great, easy listening or energizing album, with a good mix of sounds, and makes you kind of wonder where Tim's voice was on all the SSI1/2 albums! Definitely one of my favorites. Maybe a little hint of Meat Loaf in there as well.
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