Album review

Bitter, Bitter Weeks

Philadelphia's appropriately named Brian McTear is Bitter, Bitter Weeks. His deceptively lo-fi indie troubadour sound should find favour with those enamoured of the first, mostly acoustic Ryan Adams album. McTear's neither as snotty nor as convinced of his own genius, which makes for a humbler, more open emotional journey. Dashes of Alex Chilton's ragtag pop and Jonathan Richman's childlike wonder give a warm glow to this boy-and-his-guitar bundle of agreeably melodic, soft-pedalled laments.

Rating: 3 / 10


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I would have bought the issue of Melody Maker in which I first read about Bruce Springsteen on my way into the art school in Newport, where in March 1973 I was in my last term, only a few months away from moving to London and not long after that fetching up on MM as a junior reporter/feature...

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