This group is the kind of over-produced sound that leaves you feeling guilty or dare I say it, dirty, that you ever put the disc in.

Dirty Halo

2003 self titled independent release

by wa.carpediempublishing.com

Formed by Andrews Diamond (named after a crater located in Oregon, and no relation to Neil Diamond or King Diamond) Dirty Halo is a Top 40 alt-pop knock-off that sounds akin to The Partridge Family meets Elliot Smith,. This group is the kind of over-produced sound that leaves you feeling guilty or dare I say it, dirty, that you ever put the disc in. Imagine a watered down pop cover of Leonard Cohen's anthem "Everybody Knows" and you might get a sense of the disconnect present on Dirty Halo.

The disaster continues on track 3, "6 (degrees)", where Diamond rips the picking guitar sample from Buffalo Springfield's classic "For What It's Worth" that goes uncredited in liner notes, and abuses it with a little ditty about six degrees of separation that diminishes the poignancy of the original. Later, again in "6 (degrees)", Andrews feels compelled to form an entire verse out of other well-known choruses from more famous classic rock songs including the lines "you can't always get what you want"... "but I try with a little help from my friends" ... "love is all you need" and so forth.

Tracks worth a listen include "Flow" and the David Bowie-esque "Zilch".

Andrews is clearly influenced by fellow Portland psy-rock act King Black Acid and current David Bowie darling The Dandy Warhols. If you enjoy Dashboard Confessional, or Brundlefly you might enjoy this album. Well produced and glossy as hell, I still have to  recommend passing on it in favor of something that tastes a little less like bubble gum and little more like substance.

–Wa