There are often more cons than there are pros to having the love and support of some of music’s most respected back-office members when you’re just starting out in your career. The first disadvantage you’re likely to suffer is that the weight of expectation is often far too great to carry off respectably. From the Dave Fridmann produced Elf Power to the surprisingly able Minnie Driver, the load carried over from previous major critical successes leads to inevitable disappointment. And then there’s the second liability: you only ever got your deal in the first place because of the people you knew. The Electric Six serve well enough as an example. Jack White might be a formidable talent in his own right – but that doesn’t mean all his mates are. And just because Jack White sings on it, it doesn’t mean it’s any good. Having talent is one thing, spotting it is another. And this is where Boston-born and Bay Area resident, Peter Walker comes undone.
Influenced by artists as diverse as The Beatles, Led Zepplin, The Descendants and Dead Kennedys as well as harbouring a clear appreciation for Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Peter Walker found himself collaborating with Joe Chiccarelli (Frank Zappa, U2, Café Tacuba) and Tony Hoffer, celebrated producer of The Thrills, Beck and Air. On paper it looks fantastic. On paper it looks like you couldn’t go wrong. It looks even better when you add a backing band consisting of Jay Bennett of Wilco, Justin Medal-Johnson of Beck and Joey Waronker (Beck, REM).
So where’s the rub? The rub lies in the simple and unchallenging chord-progressions, the bland and pedestrian arrangements and the complete lack of attention to detail. All the right noises are being made: the voice is rough and grizzly, the guitar is raw and agile and the boys provide a consummate and stable backbeat. The trouble is; nothing really happens. And whilst this is great for certain things in life: Sundays, Samuel Beckett and David Lynch – it doesn’t make for a good record.
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