Reviewing a compilation as a whole is always difficult. Each artist is different in their purpose, and the meaning of each song can be varied as well. Even the theme of the album may not necessarily tie each song together in a logical way. Regardless of this, I will not attempt to dissect each song as a separate part; that would defeat the purpose of this album being a compilation.
The album’s second track, “These Years,” by Jim Ward, is probably one of the more engaging pieces on this LP. A song full of manic beats and wavering sound, the best part about this track may be the line “Cover up your past/ illumination tears/ the damage has been done/ your history/ these years.” And that isn’t saying much.
“Stranger than Strangers” by Tim Kasher sounds like a song trying too hard to impress the New Order set. The vocals are right on, but the lyrics themselves fall pretty short. Surprisingly, for a compilation entitled My Favorite Song Writers, I had a hard time finding many lyrics or lines engaging enough to be considered favorites.
Dragging myself through this album proved to be quite a task; not because the content was terrible by any means, it is just hard to trudge through so much emotion without a common thread. The beat-heavy tracks like “AM Jam” by Derek Fudesco proved to be the most entertaining, if not out of enjoyment, but rather out of pure curiosity. Overall, I think small children would like this album more than anyone, not just for its simplicity, but for the blatant naiveté in its content.
