Album Review: Human Parts - 'Human Parts'

18 September 2013 | 11:15 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Random acts of songwriting attempts on tape.

Human Parts is the debut album/band from former Against Me! bass player Andrew Seward, and those expecting something similar to his old group will be very….confused.

Seward left AM! to focus on his family and he may have ingested a bit too much Dora The Explorer, as there are moments on this record that sound like the soundtrack to a children’s TV show. Mix them in with a few punk rock minutes that certainly do rekindle his past day job and let the confusion set in.

Opening track 'First Impressions' starts with noises from Seward’s kids, and then some sort of punk mess of repetitive phrases and power chords that hint he may be spiraling into some sort of daddy day care insanity. This is then given a dose of distortion on 'Work On Not Working', a surf rock influenced track of gang vocals and a little more mess.

The lead single, 'The Rumble' is some sort of Rancid, early Chili Peppers and ‘teenagers who just picked up their instruments’ combination that is not only a baffling first single, but a terrible song.

The mid section of this record is probably a good spot for a banjo plucked country ballad right? Sure why the fuck not, chuck one in.

Round the record off with some Battles inspired progressive rock on 'Tributary', a vaudeville style folk number in 'Hi Nice To Meet You' and the closing track 'Forget/Delay', a punk style clash of terrible sounding voices driven by a huge bass line, and the men in white coats will be round soon. This record is super random, not in a good way at all. There is no flow, it really just seems like a bunch of random home recordings thrown together hoping to appeal to some Gus Van Sant loving music enthusiast who will really “get it.”

It is clear that Seward is making the kind of music that he wants. Quite freely in fact. It just seems like that kind of music shouldn’t be listened to very much, if at all.

1. First Impressions

2. Work On Not Working

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3. Now We Wake Up

4. The Rumble

5. Best Foot Forward

6. Call Em Off

7. The Future Path In The Harsh Bright Light

8. Hi Nice To Meet You

9. Cliff And Eli

10. Tributary

11. Forget/Delay