Once again, Scott McCaughey has assembled an impressive list of musicians for a new album by his Minus Five collective. This self-titled effort — a.k.a. “The Gun Album” thanks to its stark cover art of a revolver against a black background — features John Wesley Harding, Kelly Hogan, the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and John Moen, and Mott The Hoople’s Morgan Fisher.
Again, too, McCaughey hasn’t let any of these people (or the regulars, including R.E.M.’s Peter Buck and the Posies’ Ken Stringfellow) mess much with his style. His lyrics tend toward mildly witty turns of phrase alternated with mildly clever word games. His music stays close to variations on the Beatles’ amalgams of form, right down to the Abbey Road-era sonic date-stamp (courtesy of co-producers Kurt Bloch and McCaughey). And his voice maintains a charming Dylanesque whine, evidently fed on the diet espoused by “Cigarettes Coffee And Booze”.
With the insouciance of a man who takes nothing too seriously, McCaughey frequently shoots more accurately than his lackadaisical aim would suggest. “Aw Shit Man” nails down a reckless classic-punk attitude, while “Leftover Life To Kill” carries traces of both early Elvis Costello and late George Harrison. At their best, McCaughey’s associates catch his vibe: on “With A Gun” and “Hotel Senator”, the members of Wilco turn in their jauntiest studio performances in recent memory.
But the best song here, “Cemetery Row W14”, benefits from Meloy’s halting, sorrowful voice; in fact, it’s the only song McCaughey doesn’t sing. Its captivating distinction is a nagging reminder of the heights the Minus 5 might reach if its leader more often let his cohorts apply their full talents to his.
