Better to burn out?
Mr. Kitt (not to get confused with a shiny black car with a red stripe for a face... clearly) has a strangely downbeat, flat, almost monotone voice that trundles along its own beaten path. It hums and bums it's away across the stretch of a song with vagabond melodies, its hands stuffed deep into pockets and head always down and moving on. There is something almost folky about it, but then again that could be some sort of Irish stereotype surfacing.
There are colours, but each one is subtle and doesn't demand its own grammy or bowl of M&Ms with the red ones taken out. Highlights will certainly include the first track 'One Clear Way', a semi-band set-up with warm keys, programmed drums and the first of many downtrodden vocals that are forced to the helm, all in all setting a somewhat Depeche Mode feel in the background that couldn't be explained properly if you tried. Then there is the Grandaddy/Magic Numbers-esque 'Up To You' and guitar led, picky, summer-breeze 'Guilty Prayers, Pointless Ends' that strips away all his programmed accompaniments and gets back round to what he can do with just a guitar, female backing and a good means of recording.
Now and again there are things that niggle. With 'I Know the Reason', he clearly hasn't heard of Rocket From the Crypt's most favourite punk rock 'n' roll anthem, 'On A Rope', as the main hook in the verses is a carbon copy riff stylee. However, the chorus is pretty good, nonetheless. And the end is a blistering son of a gun, so we'll let bygones be gone and say that by and large, this release is pleasing.
Moments of clarity, direction, spunk and other such necessary delightfuls appear in the great, slightly hip-hop 'Don't Fuck With Me'; that defining moment when David gets, erm, 'well kitted'. There are strange trip rhythms and shuffles with a clever mix of guitars and electronics...a nice eye opener near the end of the track that will never be a choice for promotion (single, etc) and is therefore worth pointing out. The prior song 'Say No More' is again a real head-turner as things become a bit more urgent, where a typical chord progression and quiet verse/loud chorus construct is given a newer appeal with heart, soul and a nice blend of the real, synthetic, male and female.
Over all, it is something that is quite inoffensive and intentionally lacks sharp edges and, despite the occasional dark lyrics and swearing, will be easy to digest for all.
'I'm just looking for something that makes me think of nothing at all.'