Rhett Miller's The Instigator: C/D?

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I only have four tracks or so, but some of this seems like quite good, melodic guitar pop. The single, "Come Around," is particularly fine...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 19 July 2003 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

It was on my top 10 list for last year. Old 97's fans don't seem to like it much, which is understandable because it's a bit of a left turn. But amongst the straight up 70's power pop fans it should hit the center of the bullseye. "This Is What I Do" and "Hover" are my faves, "Four-Eyed Girl" and "World Inside The World" are also faves. Truly, there is not a bum track, very consistent.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Saturday, 19 July 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it a left turn? I thought it was more like a picnic by the side of the road. It's nice, not exciting. I like it as much as Satellite Rides, but I wasn't crazy about Satellite Rides. I'll take Too Far to Care and Fight Songs, please.

― JesseFox (JesseFox), Saturday, 19 July 2003 21:33 (twenty-two years ago)

he looks like he spends a lot of time on his hair.

― keith (keithmcl), Saturday, 19 July 2003 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never been brave enough to pick it up - I know it won't be as good as any of the 97's albums.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Saturday, 19 July 2003 22:50 (twenty-two years ago)

In my humble opinion, there's four or five songs that stand up, rivalling some of the better Old 97s songs, but there is some filler. Still, for what I spent, I've enjoyed it.

― Bruce Urquhart (Bruce Urquhart), Sunday, 20 July 2003 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

zzzz. (I liked Satellite Rides a lot, too.)

― M Matos (M Matos), Sunday, 20 July 2003 04:03 (twenty-two years ago)

When the 97s played a "secret" show here in May (as The Satellite Riders) I wanted to go punch Rhett. His western shirt was unbuttoned enough to show off his smooth, boyish chest and his hair had blonde highlights. LA has gone to his head.

― Texas Sam (thatgirl), Sunday, 20 July 2003 23:58 (twenty-two years ago)

you say that like it's a bad thing [ducks]

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 21 July 2003 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I only listened to it once but found it spare to a fault (the lyrics didn't help either, esp. "Four Eyed Girl"). I was supercurious about Old 97s at the time but the emptiness of this solo album killed my interest, sorta (unless I find 'em free somewhere).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 21 July 2003 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh Anthony, 97s are sooo different and superior. Check out their first 3 albums. In fact, mail me yr address and I'll send you a mix.

― Texas Sam (thatgirl), Monday, 21 July 2003 00:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree with Jesse who said "it's nice, not exciting". I don't think it's even remotely as good as any 97's album and quite frankly I thought many of the songs kinda sucked. He's a great songwriter, but he need's Murray on bass and that raucous twangy lead guitar to really bring his songs to life. Having said that, I do love Satellite Rides which was apparently the "pop" Old 97's album. Pick up that or Too Far To Care. That's a friggin classic by all measures.

― Mark M, Monday, 21 July 2003 02:21 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a tough call as to which is poppier - Satellite Rides or Fight Songs. Diffferent kinds of "pop," really, but I don't think you can find anything in the 97's catalogue poppier than "Nineteen" or "Oppenheimer" (or "Murder (Or A Heart Attack)").

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 21 July 2003 03:35 (twenty-two years ago)

eight months pass...

this album is fantastic. I care not how smooth it is nor how overproduced nor how unlike the 97s nor how they use his picture on the cover in an evan dando kind of stylee.

it's so catchy and well constructed, when I spin it (on the harddrive for a couple of weeks before actually maying down own my own cash to hold it in my grubby mitts) i want to listen to it on repeat for the whole day. then when the sun rises the next day, "come around" or "this is what i do" is in my head as soon as the synapses start firing and i want to play it again.

― frankE, Monday, 19 April 2004 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

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