Athlete comes through with decent third record
It’s easy to give up on the idea of athletes trying their hands at a music career. Remember in 1993 when Shaquille O’Neal released “Shaq Diesel”? Jack McDowell (aka Black Jack) was a Cy Young Award winning pitcher for the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, and even though he throws some wild pitches on his band’s third album, it deserves a listen. From the predictable swoon of “Olivia Mae” to the straightforward rockin’ “The Grave,” the entire album screams bar band. It’s not all bad, and there are driving songs that flow nicely, like “Just Like Them” and “Wedded Show.” But some of the songs, such as “Hey Man” are just wrong, sounding way too much like the Wallflowers or Foo Fighters rip-offs. “Long Drag” sounds like Eve 6 in ten years, while “One Down” and “The Grave” could easily pass as B-sides to Eagle Eye Cherry and Elastica (minus the female voice), respectively. McDowell’s guitar work carries a backbone of indie-rock appeal and a generous amount of the solos have strong Pixies influences. His voice weakens the overall effort largely because it’s so monotone.