The music on You’re Doomed. Be Nice reflects the album title, but Rob Crow’s new songs aren’t any more pessimistic than his solo work or on his LPs with Pinback. His penchant for quirky arrangements remains in place, as does his gift for shrewd lyrics and dark, ironic humor. With Heavy Vegetable pal Travis Nelson on second guitar, Crow continues writing tunes with his usual flair for the unexpected.
A simple clanging bass line and reggae-flavored guitar drive “Business Interruptus,” a complaint about the garble of modern digital life with a tongue-twisting lyric. “Rest Your Soul” is a frenetic punk-rock screed that urges a friend to face his fears, knowing full well that he’s not up to the task. “Yie Ar” and “What We’ve Been Doing While You’ve Been Away” provide some calm with strummed acoustic and whispered vocals, although the lyrics paint grim pictures of empty lives on the verge of emotional disintegration.
—j. poet
