Great Albums That Absolutely Nobody Talks About, Part Two: The Pursuit Of Happiness - One-Sided Story

Forget "I'm An Adult Now". For just one second, forget that song even exists. There is a deeper, smarter, more sensitive band lurking behind that one hit, one with a capacity for songs that are as infectiously catchy as they are poignant. Lead singer/songwriter Moe Berg writes some of the most honest and down-to-earth lyrical examinations of love I've ever read, strange only in how they manage to so perfectly nail the innerworkings of the Average Joe (and Jane). In Moe's world, love is parasitic (Something Physical), fleeting (No Safe Place), manipulative (Runs In The Family), and occasionally beautiful (All I Want). What's strangest is how quick Moe is to point out his own flaws, making his expressions of genuine desire seem that much more honest as a result. He's one of the few singers I've heard who'll describe the ways in which he can be a jerk and not try to make it sympathetic.

Of course, you also have to the like the music, which is essentially crunchy mid-tempo power pop with an almost rigid sense of songwriting formula (Chorus goes HERE! Solo goes THERE!). But then, it also features the gorgeous backing harmonies or Kris Abbott and Leslie Stanwyck, a perfect compliment to Moe Berg's endearingly dweebish whine of a voice. It's all overseen by producer Todd Rundgren, Mr. Power Pop himself, and hell, if he liked the material enough to produce two albums for an almost totally unknown Canadian indie group, they must've been doing something right. If you can find a copy and it sounds like something you'd enjoy, please give it a chance.