I am doomed to remember two boys with haunting voices – not because of their voices, or because they were responsible for my favorite live music moment, or even because they were the instruments of Jesse Lacey’s death, but because they are the reason I still believe in pop/indie music; I am a continued indie music fan because of Bad Books. 
[Note: this is the altered first sentence from the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, a book everyone should read at least five times. Also, neither Andy Hull nor Kevin Devine have plans to kill Jesse Lacey, though I do feel they are partially responsible for the decline in the popularity of Lacey’s music as they have picked up and ran with the torch he once held proudly…but I digress.]
The above may have been a hyperbolic statement, but as with most good hyperbole, there’s a lot of truth to be found there. Let’s talk first about Andy’s and Kevin’s voice(s). Separately, they each sing with a distinctive and vulnerable style that can easily switch to an aggressive yell if necessary (see Exhibit A: “Cotton Crush” by Kevin Devine and Exhibit B: “100 Dollars” by Manchester Orchestra). Together though, they sound alternately like Elliott Smith doubling his own vocals on “Needle in the Hay” or like Guy and Ian trading shouts during Fugazi’s heyday. Sounds too divergent to be true? Give a listen to “I Begged You Everything” and “Please Move” in succession (Tracks 7 and 8 respectively) and you’ll understand completely.
Of course, two great voices (even those that mesh so wonderfully) nary a band or an album make. The attribute separating Mr. Hull and Mr. Devine (and thus this collaborative project) from so many others is their songwriting prowess; in fact, their unparalleled ability to write basically whatever kind of song that they wish is what prompted me to think of A Prayer for Owen Meany and my belief in indie music. You want a catchy, sing-along pop song about something seemingly dark (an abortion maybe?)? You’ve got “Baby Shoes.” How about a sad song of introspection with just a voice and an acoustic guitar? “You’re A Mirror I Cannot Avoid“ is waiting for you. A quirky pop song with melodies that have more in common with 1969 than 2009? “Holding Down the Laughter“ fits the bill. And on it goes; this album is as varied as it is brilliant, and I would feel as confident playing it for my 9 year old goddaughter as I would for my jaded too-cool-for-school music snob friends. And you, dear reader, will enjoy this album as well. Unless you’re an asshole or something. You’re not an asshole, are you? I didn’t think so.
One final thought (aside from wondering why I use so many parenthetical statements): collaborations always pose unique questions that put them in a different category than other albums. Primarily, people want to know if the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If I haven’t answered this question in so many words, then I haven’t done my job. YES! The answer is a resounding, enthusiastic YES! Don’t miss this album. You’ll only kick yourself in ten years when cool indie kids are citing it as an influence for their overwrought songs that will be easily forgotten. I’ve already written several.
