Robert McCreedy : News & Press
No Depression Magazine:
Robert McCreedy has always recognized the power of the understated, down and out, three chord pop song. When he was with the Volebeats, they took the simplified elegance of the early BoDeans of the Vulgar Boatmen, added lots of reverb, and churned out some catchy tunes. As a solo artist, McCreedy's work is far more jagged and dark, and takes far less predictable turns. It Might Kill You packs a subtle wallop over its eight songs. On "Just in Time", McCreedy and background vocalist Sarah Wagner harmonize neatly on the stinging chorus, "You left me just in time." It's and enigmatic yet eerily beautiful relationship-aftermath song. The title track is even more biting as McCreedy, in his imperfect pitch, snarls, "I've got sunshine in a dark world and it might kill you to see me smile."
-Scott Brodeur |
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Harp Magazine:
Ex-Volebeat Robert McCreedy returns after a four-year interval with his second release, and though it’s a compact effort-eight songs and 30 minutes long, with generally enigmatic lyrics that sometimes extend to only a handful of lines-its brevity isn’t matched by a quickness of pace. If you’re looking for a rev-it-up-and-go, this ain’t the place. McCreedy’s songs, wrapped in atmospheric effects (literally, in the case of “Storm” which is interspersed with sounds approximating thunder) and instrumentation, range from deliberate to funereal in tempo, morose to mournful in sentiment. The lone uptempo track gives the album its title and may indirectly describe its effect (“it might kill you to see me smile”). But McCreedy manages to avoid any hint of sameness in his consistency, and there’s a certain beauty in the gloom. |
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Amplifier Magazine:
This sophomore solo effort from Volebeats visionary Robert McCreedy is another typically laidback affair, tempered with a slightly psychedelic posture and a hazy, lo-fi perspective. The album’s as scant on tunes as it is on elaboration; only eight songs long, it’s fleshed out only minimally with spare keyboards, guitars, a rudimentary rhythm section, with an occasional organ, violin, or accordian tossed in for good measure. Nevertheless, McCreedy achieves his purpose, serving up a set that’s both mellow and mesmerizing, particularly when it comes to the song that open and close it, “Not True” and “Frisbee.” Dreamy to almost the point of lethargy, McCreedy’s outlook is slightly askew, but the oft-kilter collaboration never detracts from the songs’ inherent charms. Still, he does occasionally stumble along the way; “Storm” is a bit clunky and the droning “Victory Garden” takes on a cosmic swirl that’s cluttered to the point of distraction. However, those are minor complaints. With its luminous sheen and unassuming appeal, “It Might Kill You” slowly drifts down, like an intoxicating elixir. |
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