>SubPop continues a surge of support for side projects with their latest endorsement of Rilo Kiley guitarist/singer/songwriter Blake Sennett. Going by “The Elected,” Sennett makes the move to the driver’s seat, taking over the songwriting, vocal, and main guitar duties.
The pig front and center of Me First calls to mind images of Cake gone by, but the material contained within is substantially different. The liner notes are topped by a thank you to Elliott Smith and Sennett’s airy vocals sound reminiscent of the departed songwriter. The subject matter is somewhat lighter than what Smith ever addressed, sticking to the more familiar territory of broken relationships and neglected pets.
There is more than a hint of country/folk, as Sennett’s delivery on the opening track, “7 September 2003,” is distinctly Greg Brown. While his voice is nowhere near as deep as Brown’s buttery baritone, the country guitar line and generous use of metal slide makes for a very similar experience.
There is enough Rilo Kiley on the disc to question its legitimacy as an actual side project. Jason Boesel provides drums throughout, and on “Greetings In Braille,” Sennett joined by Rilo Kiley lead singer Jenny Lewis, who is also thanked in the liner notes for “help with words,” suggesting that the songwriting scheme here is much the same as the main project.
Still, the results are excellent if not exceptional. “Greetings In Braille” sports a swinging 6/8 waltz feel. Over deft finger-picking, Sennett rasps, “Well, if living’s such hell / here’s to your dying days. You won’t have to be afraid.”
The surprisingly pretty “My Baby’s A Dick” is well crafted, if a little unbalanced. The narrator sings to his girl, “I’ve got this problem / and it never sleeps even when I do / And I’m glad that you miss me now that we’re through.”
Sennett shows a great deal of love for his drum machine as well. “The Miles ‘Til Home” is a relatively standard sounding country tune set to a squawking electronic beat. Over the top, Sennett repeats “You finally chased the rest of them away,” opining his runaway lover, then finishing with, “You wish you had more time / You say you never win. I say that’s a lie.”
From time to time, Sennett uncharacteristically lets loose a scream. On the sing along “Go On,” after an electronic interruption that is sure to have listeners wondering how they scratched their CD so quickly, he screams, “What did they put you through.”
Despite his pop leanings, Sennett is at his best when he’s at his most country. “Waves” is pure, unadulterated barroom country with indie lyrics like “You’re only worth one wish that you’ll probably never make / You’re just making the least, babe, of the time that you’re awake.”
If a bow to Elliott Smith comes through anywhere on the album, it’s on the eerie “A Response to Greed.” Sennett makes an implicit reference with lines like, “It’s a song, a song for the tired ones / a song for the tired ones / a song for the sick ones / a song for the scared ones / the scared of this life ones, just like me and you.”
The main complaint is that the tracks all seem to run together after a while. Sennett’s guitar texture never really strays far from pristine clean, and eventually it gets to be a matter of whether the drum machine is on or off. Sennett’s raspy, emotion-laden voice may also get to be a bit much for some listeners after repeated listens. Mildly affected, he sticks to relatively predictable melodic patterns.
Sennett’s guitar, at least, is always spot on. If the album seems too clean throughout, it’s simply because he knows his strengths. Sennett is a borderline virtuoso with an axe and has potential to grow into a force in pop music. Me First is a pleasurable if not infinitely engaging listen, but the more interesting compliment to the title is, “What’s next?”
Grade: B
