Albums by this artist

Pollensongs (2002)

TW Walsh

Pollensongs

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» A.K. GOLD | STAFF WRITER

TW Walsh Pollensongs My Pal God, 2002 RiYL: Low, Mazzy Star, Doug Martsch

Did you recently break up with your significant other? Something else got you down? Boy, have I got the EP for you! On Pollensongs, the Massachusetts-based one-man band and producer TW Walsh fulfils his billing as "the world's saddest man" by spinning five yarns that sound like Built to Spill's Doug Martsch (and his guitar) on depressants.

On "The Year That Got Away", Walsh's ability to give weight to even the most inane reflections is apparent in lines like "Japanese cars become hard to drive / without the air turned on" atop a sparse series of guitar strums and tapped drums that give way to a louder, but no less somber chorus.

The slightly more up-tempo "Stories About the Truth" showcases Walsh's ability to write a more structured instrumental arrangement (with an actual hook), a welcome change from the more confessional and open-ended song structures that fill the rest of the EP. Walsh's style is well suited to the EP format and Pollensongs provides a comforting dose of sadness, but not so much that you're searching for the straight razor.

A.K. GOLD | A.K. Gold lives in Washington, D.C., where she slaves away for a non-profit organization and constantly compares everything to New York City or Chicago. She's earned her "cred" as a college radio and pre-1960 country music DJ, committed indie label street teamer, sporadic zinemaker/contributor, retired mail-order filler and occasional freelance writer. From time to time, she publishes Anecdotal Evidence, a per zine that will some day be considered for the National Book Award, or possibly not. If you want to buy a copy, or desire to write to her for some other reason, email criticgirl@hotmail.com.