antiReviews:
Steven Gullett - Sad Like Marilyn
Review by Mr Huh?
I don't know who Steven Gullett is personally, but I'm comfortable enough in my sexuality to say that if I was a woman, then I would want to have his baby...Or maybe not. That sh*t hurts from what I hear.
Anyways, Sad Like Marily is an anti-folk (or folk/punk synthesis) gem that captures a profound sense of both introspection and cynicism at times. He does have the type of songwriting chops and lyrical inventiveness that would make Bob Dylan (one of his influences) proud.
The first song, "Low Expectations" is a candid warning against both putting too much confidence in and also no trust whatsoever in what people say and do as he relays with just the first few lines alone. "Pressure" is the first track that really wows you with Steven's lyrical ability to a charging and optimistic tempo. The first few lines of "Hopefully" also showcase his ability to tap into an almost universal feeling with the lines, "Do you regret all the things you liked when you were young?/Don't believe in garbage, don't believe the things you wanna touch" are words that can easily apply to all that pop-culture bullsh*t that you were taught to like even though secretly you either wondered if there might be more meaningful things or wanted to put a drill to your head and get it over with. "My Old Friend" is a song written about the late, great Gregg Spence, and even though I have absolutely no idea who he is, I feel still like the world lost someone important after listening to this. "I Bet You're a Legend Now" is a great song satirizing fame and the unfortunate inability to control it. It's a bit of a slam you could say towards those who intentionally chase fame and then complain about it. "In Debt" is the only all-electric-guitar song on the album, but a great electric riff still accompanies the acoustic riff on "The Futility Ball" and the final track, "One to Pray" shows that Steven isn't afraid to experiment with a synthesizer and even a brief, yet sublime, solo to go along with a solemn reflection on the question of the after-life.
Managing to be sentimental without being sappy, Steven Gullett easily, has the potential to grow enough to make a future album on par with Highway 61 Revisited, Blue, or Graceland.
