The Show is the Rainbow - Wet Fist [Retard Disco - 2009]Well, just looking at the 'sensitive' artist on the cover (or I'm pretty sure it's the artist here anyways) I knew I was going to hate this record. Probably the kind of thing I was expecting to be sent to review one of these days... To be fair, however, Darren Keen of the Show is the Rainbow isn't the worst musician I've heard. At least he's competent enough stringing a melody together (after a fashion), and that's more than I can say for some self-styled 'artists' out there... Well this will be my first outright negative review here. I know this kind of music actually has an audience, but let's just say that just because a record like Michael Jackson's Thriller sold the most copies, it didn't propel me to buy it. I don't judge music by how popular it may be, and I'll bet Darren Keen's feelings may be hurt by this (I'm pretty sure...), but he'll have to grow up, make an effort to improve or move on. It's not my job to give a green light to failed music however Darren or his audience may feel differently... Well that out of the way, there's been people like Darren Keen in every American city ever since "alternative music" became mainstream. This kind of artist tends to make some sort of exaggeratedly kitschy neo-70s disco-pop with rather drippy, sentimental lyrics. One look at the lyrics and they read like dialogue from a soap opera. One sample: "He'll run his fingers through your hair to show you that he really cares as you get cold he'll get cold too..." Apparently Darren wants us to know that "this album was really fun to make", but I'm not having much fun hearing this for the second time around. The further I go with this album, the more grinding and nauseating this music gets. So to be honest I have to give Wet Fist only one star. Take it from me, pass on this twee stuff and read a good book instead. Lawrence J. Patti
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