The Minus 5 - Minus 5
February 15th, 2006
By Archived Story
As usual, Scott McCaughey (formerly of Young Fresh Fellows) finds himself in good company on the latest record from his pet project, the Minus 5. His friends on this outing include R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy among others. In addition to containing a stellar guest list, the CD comes filled with classic- sounding songs penned almost exclusively by McCaughey. Drawing on years of experience and an obvious love of ’60s pop, the music is familiar and accessible.
The subject matter also evokes a feeling of by-gone days, covering the topics of gun-toting and drinking. But don’t get me wrong, the music is more than pure nostalgia. Like other super group side projects such as Golden Smog, the Minus 5 offers a glimpse into where these musicians find their roots. On a handful of tracks, McCaughey and friends try unsuccessfully to add a sense of newness to the formula, mixing distorted guitars with Byrds-style hooks in a combination that sounds as forced as it does painful.
While it’s far from an essential addition to your record collection, the self-titled disc from the Minus 5 (available on Yep Roc records) assuredly has some great moments. One listen to “With a Gun” will make you want to go back and give the rest of the record a try.
