Believe it or not, the title only gives a taste of the irony put to tape here. Over the course of 19 songs, Lazy Magnet rummages though almost every form of popular music, sometimes covering several genres in space of a few seconds. Band leader Jeremy Harris and company have the musical chops to pull off such a scatterbrained project, but the silly lyrics and non-stop pastiche get to be wearing.
Straight comparisons are usually a cop out, but I couldn't listen to Is Music Even Good? without thinking of Ween. Like Dean and Gene, Harris uses disparate genres as vehicle for goofing off rather than letting the music set its own agenda, but thankfully he has his own brand of humor. Lazy Magnet trades Ween's frat boy fixation on sex, drugs and scat for a focus on pure lyrical nerddom. "Masters of Science Fiction" is a Roger Miller style country ballad that is spilt between twangy acoustic strumming and piercing mic feedback. "Look into the Eyes of the Your Lord and Say No" is a bouncy new-wave jam, but the lyrics are pure Neal Pert style sword and sorcery affirmations.
Levity is a tricky thing in music. While Is Music Even Good? never degenerates into outright parody, I kept wishing Harris would focus his talent. The album is at its best when he stops using his songs as musical punch lines. "Your Hidden Adversary is Rising pt3 A Flower Fighting a Dragon" is a Tangerine Dream style kosmische synth workout that slowly decays into roaring noise. Lacking goofy lyrics, the song has its own context outside the usual Mountain Dew and Nintendo imagery. It is a dork-out without the sardonic wink.
All this scolding about getting serious is probably for naught, though. Harris has been making music for over a decade, enough time to know exactly what he is doing. The arrangements and musicianship on this album are amazing, and the audio quality is great for a home recording. He is making music on his own terms and obviously enjoying himself. That said, if Lazy Magnet tried for something a little more serious than a round of Donkey Kong, they could make some mind blowing music.
samples:
- Your Hidden Adversary is Rising pt3 A Flower Fighting a Dragon
- Masters of Science Fiction
- Look Into the Eyes of Your Lord and Say No
Read More
