Minus 5

Some albums on an iPod, I’ve found, are like that can of Bean with Bacon soup that sits in the far reaches of the kitchen cupboard. You keep ignoring it with every meal, thinking you have better options. Then one day you’re tired of everything else and you figure, what the hell, I’ll have this can of Bean with Bacon soup. And – surprise – it’s delicious. With each spoonful, you wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.

The Gun Album by the Minus 5 is my latest can of Bean with Bacon soup. It had been sitting on my iPod for several months. But every time I saw it, I kept going for what I thought was a better option. Then last week I figured, what the hell.

And, as the recent analogy suggested, surprise.

What a great disc it is. Every song involves booze or weapons or both – and how can any rock ‘n’ roll lover not love that? Musically, it sorta blends a Wilco-like alt-country sound with a nostalgic 60s pop similar to Young Fresh Fellows. Which isn’t surprising at all, given that the Minus 5 is a revolving collective formed by Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows fame, and the band’s last two discs have featured Jeff Tweedy of Wilco (one of which was humorously titled Down with Wilco). You’ll also hear Peter Buck of REM and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies.

Here are three spoonfuls for your listening enjoyment:

[MP3] Minus 5 – “With a Gun” EXPIRED
[MP3] Minus 5 – “Twilight Distillery”EXPIRED
[MP3] Minus 5 – “Bought a Rope”EXPIRED

Buy the Gun Album