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.
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