One Long Year

I picked up One Long Year a few weeks ago. My impression goes like this:

The title of the album itself seems to indicate that Todd has been struggling with things......whatever they are. With that mind set, it could explain the impression that he had sort of "thrown" this album together". But then I sat back and realized that the overall composition of the record still follows the "broadway format" he has used on numerous older solo albums, only now with some modern day elements to it.....(for instance, let's use the double-album "Todd" as an example)...There is.....

• The crazed instrumentals with a bit of whack tied into them (I hate "Jerk", but I think "MATHG" is pretty funny).
• The ballads thrown in...."Where Does the Time Go"...and even add "LOTCM" in that category.
• The harder rockers (Yer Fast and IPO)
• The comedy (Broadway-type) toon......live Band the Banjo
• And last but not least, the more serious stuff...Buffalo Grass and Surf Talks, both of which I think are outstanding, especially Surf Talks...one of his better recent efforts. Hit Me Like a Train is OK too after a few listens.

So in summary, I think he took what he had and sort of molded it into what he's always been. But am I satisfied? No.

Like I said, I think Surf Talks and Buffalo Grass (and maybe HMLAT) would have been the start of an excellent album. He still owes us that.....and I have confidence he will still do it. I just hope he can shake the recent political themes and sac sacrilegious satire out of his head. That stuff makes him take a direction I don't care for......not necessarily what he's saying, but what it does to his music. I don't like it.