Rating: NNNN
Singer/songwriter Evan Slamka writes like Elliott Smith, sings like Bono and lives in Skid Row. How’s that for an odd mix? Self Help Serenade matches classic pop harmonies recalling the best of the Beach Boys with lyrics recalling the worst of everyone’s therapy sessions. As Slamka progresses through insecurities about halfway houses, relationships and drug addiction, he cranks out simple, gorgeous hooks, the kind that stick in your head and keep you humming for hours till the guy sitting next to you on the subway shoots you a look. With Magnolia man Jon Brion and Elliott Smith engineer Rob Schnapf on board, this disc captures a beautifully isolated introspective vibe. Let self-delusion have a soundtrack.