Will SCOTT MCCAUGHEY ever get his just due as a songwriter and record-maker? Only the Pop Kulcher Gawds know for sure, and they ain’t tellin’. While we wait for the PKG to make up their minds, we can enjoy the latest fruits of the ever-prolific Pacific Northwesterner’s labors. Killingsworth, the latest record from the MINUS 5, not only continues McCaughey’s partnership with R.E.M‘s PETER BUCK, but also brings in other pals from the area, including the POSIES‘ KEN STRINGFELLOW, RICHMOND FONTAINE‘s WILLY VLAUTIN and all of the DECEMBERISTS. The 5 generally presents the more serious side of McCaughey’s satirical songwriting, though “serious” is a relative term. Hypocrisy seems to be his main target here, particularly that of the allegedly spiritually minded, as he takes the piss with “Ambulance Dancehall,” “I Would Rather Sacrifice You” (“than to miss sweet Jesus’ call”) and “It Won’t Do You Any Good.” He also tips his hat with “Vintage Violet” and “Smoke On, Jerry,” and gets romantic with “Your Favorite Mess.” Wrapping his wry observations and sardonic commentary in ultra-melodic country-flavored rock/pop, McCaughey and company even get away with putting the record’s most winsome melody behind a song called “The Disembowelers.” Brilliant.
Though the 5 and his work with R.E.M., ROBYN HITCHCOCK (as part of the British songwriter’s backup group the VENUS 3) and THE BASEBALL PROJECT (a sports-themed side group with Buck and STEVE WYNN) take up a lot of McCaughey’s time, he hasn’t forgotten the Seattle group that first made his name. I Think It Is is both the first YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS studio record since 2001’s Because We Hate You and the band’s 25th anniversary album, and it’s another chapter in McCaughey’s long book of humorous, poignant songsmithery. Of course, it’s unfair for McCaughey to bear all the responsibility here, as lead guitarist KURT BLOCH continues to play Dave to the leader’s Ray with a couple of tunes, and PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA mouthpiece CHRIS BALLEW contributes a pair as well. Bloch’s tough, garage rocking guitar, JIMMY SANGSTER‘s busy bass and TAD HUTCHISON‘s driving drumming give the Fellows their fizzy kick, and McCaughey’s part-time boss Hitchcock captures it all in glorious hands-off fidelity. “New Day I Hate,” “After Suicide,” “Used to Think All Things Could Happen” and “Betty Let the Good Times Crawl” marry cheeky humor and a delicious hook as well as anyone with a higher profile ever has. Poking fun at pomposity, politics and pop culture is rarely as tuneful or as enjoyable as it is with the Young Fresh Fellows and the Minus 5 as your guides. Hitch a ride, won’t ya?
