Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place
You’re Doomed. Be Nice.
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE
5/10
A year before the release of his newest album You’re Doomed. Be Nice., Pinback frontman Rob Crow declared his intent to more or less quit music. Considering the creative, physical, mental, and financial tolls that come with being in a band, this isn’t surprising—especially when you recall that the prolific musician has played with more than a dozen groups. It’s also not surprising that someone so devoted to making music wouldn’t really step away but just change his relationship to the process. This album is the work of another new band—Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place—but it still carries Crow’s signature sound, from his vocals to the methodic bass, clockwork tempos, and occasional breaking into heavy guitars. There’s a sense of consolidating musical interests, with some rough around the edges reminiscent of his better solo work, but enough polish to feel these songs are still carefully crafted. Highlights like “Business Interruptus” have continuity with Crow’s prior projects, and even though this album isn’t a revelation or a home run, it’s comforting to know that he hasn’t fully disappeared.
