Jay Reatard : Watch Me Fall :: Review
In an era when album art has somewhat become crummy and forgettable, Jay Reatard’s “Watch Me Fall” arrives, creeps me out with its “Shining” influenced portrait of Reatard and gives me hope that this is an art form that isn’t dead. With that being said, after one glance at the album cover I was able to surmise that this album was not going to be about rainbows and kittens. If I were to toss a cliché around, I would mention that in the case of “Watch Me Fall” a picture is worth a thousand words and some of those just might be angst, nihilism, fear, depravity, self-loathing and negativity.
“Watch Me Fall” might be the most sarcastic, negative and sassy album that I have had the pleasure of hearing this summer. Throughout these 12 tracks, Reatard covers his bases as the listening audience plays the part of his psychoanalyst. I think the last artist to vilify himself this much was Kurt Cobain who parlayed his demons into a self-deprecating schtick. While “Watch Me Fall” is typical Reatard punk pop, there’s not too much variety in the bpm’s here, it’s the lyrics that shine. As bright as some of the opening chords resonate on “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me,” Reatard intones about how his negativity has taken its toll while closing with a chant of “All is lost, you can’t go home, All is lost there is no hope for me.” On “Before I Was Caught” Reatard would rather sleep his days away before he was caught. Caught doing what?
The guitar freak-out at the end of “Can’t Do It Anymore” insures that song is a keeper, as does the singsong lyric of “Faking It.” “I’m Watching You” is brought in from Reatard’s “Matador Singles ‘08” in a slightly mutated form. “I’m Watching You” is a bit strummier here and the vocal doesn’t sound as vibrant as it did on the singles volume. The acoustic power pop of “Wounded” breaks up the standard Reatard formula and provides a nice respite from the prevailing angst. While “Wounded” seemingly offers an oasis of calm before the storm, the overbearing negativity of “Rotten Mind” through “My Reality” is a bit much. Maybe it really is tough to be a pop star. However Reatard redeems himself on the last two songs as “Hang Them All” features a chorale closing and “There Is No Sun” is reminiscent of a 60’s girl group with its twangy guitars and vocal harmonies.
“Watch Me Fall” is a consistent album regarding its tunefulness and topics ready made for the autumnal months ahead.
Rating: 
