Idaho
Alas
Buzz
* * * *

Idaho's sleepy spin on complaint rock somehow avoids growing tiresome. Though not as darkly alluring as 1996's Three Sheets to the Wind, Jeff Martin and Dan Seta continue to improve their craft, adding new wrinkles like bassoon, marimba, and strings to their gracefully textural fare. Martin and Seta's guest players almost steal the show; Melissa Auf Der Mar's delicate background vocals complement Martin's rich baritone elegantly throughout, and Joey Waronker's egoless drumming is spot-on. Though its running time is no longer than a couple of catnaps (without the unlisted track, it runs at 28 minutes!), the residue resulting from one play of Alas lingers for days.

~Andy Kellman

this review is/was online at All Music Guide
and is available here for archival purposes only