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The bass legend’s newest CD is all that you could want and expect from Mr. Watt: an off-kilter nine-song opus backed by a very able three-piece band. It’s dramatic, mature, unpredictable and unpretentious throughout, chronicling his battle with an abscess that almost claimed his life in 2000 – songs like Pissbags And Tubing explain the dirty details. Even though the episode obviously caused Watt quite a bit of discomfort, the record has a cheerful feeling, never rocking out extremely hard but providing a schmorgasbord of wonky, awesomely played songs. Bottom line: you wouldn’t change the station if you heard this on college radio.
Mike Watt plays the Horseshoe Sunday (October 10).
