Deserted Music

Eamonn Vitt

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: February 11, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Self-Starter Records
• ASIN: B000086BCA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #926,377 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Junkmedia.org Review-, March 23, 2003

By	junkmedia (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Eamonn Vitt began his higher-profile musical career playing bass with Boston mainstays Karate. By the band's second album he had ceded bass duties to Jeff Goddard and picked up the guitar, and for a brief, shining moment Karate became a wondrous two-guitar force that was able to rock out with a remarkable degree of texture. Vitt then decided that medicine was his calling and left the band to go to school, at which point Karate went back to its quieter ways, becoming even more adventurous in its exploration of the tasteful meeting point between rock and Wes Montgomery-like jazzy noodling.

Something quite different seems to have gone on with Vitt during his time off, at least in light of Deserted Music. Instead of trying to return to where he was when he left indie rock, he has taken a turn towards a more acoustic, singer-songwriter approach that is exhibited on this record, the follow-up to last year's Old Wave New Ride EP.

Unfortunately, Vitt fails to produce something to hold on to. His decision to move in a markedly different direction should be applauded, but it's unfortunate the results are so bland. This album is an "indie rock" album, and the quotation marks are integral to the sound. Melodically and structurally, most of the album sounds like someone who has some things to confess. And instead of making the music follow the twists and turns of his lyrics, Vitt just lets it sit there as padding most of the time.

Which isn't to say there aren't some gems here. "Followed" is a jaunty song that somehow works an incredible, melancholic and beautiful chorus into itself without missing a beat. "Mixed Drinks" gets over its generic acoustic strum with a melody and heart that makes it sounds like an intimate sing-along to some friends.

But for the most part, Deserted Music doesn't do much to grab the listener's attention. Middle-of-the-road songs with average arrangements make for "nice" sounding albums, but that's about it.

Martin Pavlinic
Junkmedia.org Review