Snappy punk-inspired Jay Reatard pumps you up with the bopping, cohesive energy of Watch Me Fall.
Although he is almost entirely made of hair and looks like he belongs in a wood shop rather than a recording studio, Jay Reatard turns out amazingly structured songs that are an equal mix of sensitivity and rowdiness on Watch Me Fall, his first major release since 2006. Reatard’s music is often referred to as garage punk, but this release is more pop than a punk would ever care to admit. Galloping along with a steady strumming guitar, each of Reatard’s songs builds into the next. While opening track, “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me,” starts with toe-tapping, you may find yourself manically pogoing by the time the album comes to a close. “Nothing Now,” the record’s standout, is a bit darker than the rest, beginning with guitar that sounds like the buzzing of bees as Reatard sings, “You had your whole life to think things over.” Well, think this over for a bit—Watch Me Fall is the cat’s dirty-ass pajamas.
