Review Summary: Golden parts, but a silver whole.
The four year gap between the recording and release of
Hiss Golden Messenger’s
Bad Debt is irrelevant, as the music and narratives painted within its twelve tracks represent a snapshot in time for project member M.C. Taylor. The delivery is raw; nothing but an acoustic guitar accompanies the California singer-songwriter as he performs into a portable cassette recorder placed on his kitchen table. His personality, however, is vibrant, if not entirely disposed. For throughout the entirety of
Bad Debt, Taylor’s woe can be felt as vividly as the existential angst that inspired it.
At the core of his worries is intense spiritual turmoil. Particularly on “Jesus Shot Me in the Head,” but consistently throughout, Taylor tackles the relationship he holds with his god and how that relates to the aspects of his life. It’s sincere and contemplative enough to appeal to listeners with varying levels of religiosity; after all, Taylor isn’t a church attendee himself. In the end, it comes across as the musings of a man who stands with his back to the pulpit but face to his god.
While Taylor’s religious beliefs lie at the center of
Bad Debt, it doesn’t consume the album’s subject matter. Taylor certainly struggles with other demons which are more universal and solvable through secular methods. His fear of the world is prevalent, and knowing that he had a one-year old son slumbering in the adjacent room during the album’s recording helps to unlock exactly why. For fathers, the crippling dread of political, social and financial troubles is only magnified by the unending connection of love and concern that surrounds a child whose well-being surpasses all other concerns. This complex concoction of emotion pours effortlessly from Taylor’s fingers and larynx, which remains powerful for every lyric.
If only
Bad Debt was as varied as it is emotive. Of course, the singer-songwriter tag shouldn’t elicit expectations of overly complex compositions. Still, the album does grow slightly stale upon repeat listens, given that fairly standard guitar chords are the only other point of focus besides Taylor on each track. The recording is admittedly a fitting accompaniment to the theme of the record, but there’s still a nagging feeling that
Bad Debt is a better collection of songs than it is an album.
Bad Debt is a great collection of songs though, especially from a lyrical standpoint. Minimalism aside, Taylor provides feelings with this album that are nothing short of enthralling. At least the poor state of the world guarantees that future
Hiss Golden Messenger releases have more inspiration for passionate confessionals such as this.
