Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby

iTunes Review

Stiff Records new wave legend Wreckless Eric teams up with acclaimed NYC singer-songwriter Amy Rigby for a homespun psychedelic pop experience that’s heavy on neuroses and quirky, extraterrestrial production flourishes. Cheap, junky keyboards, pounding, distant drums (a cardboard box in some cases), a bossa-nova beat box, distorted guitars, spoken word passages and lots of bizarre melodic twists make for a charming effort that’s never short on surprises. Rigby’s “Men In Sandals” shuffles with the ramshackle lurch of a mid-‘60s Kinks tune. “First Mate Rigby” breaks down into psychedelic pieces, flashing back in whooshes of feedback. “Astrovan” is the sound of a mother resisting suburban tranquility by invoking her girl-group allegiances. Wreckless Eric stays mostly in the background, adding harmonies and a few key tracks (“The Downside of Being a F**k Up”), but mostly providing instrumental support, bass, keyboards, and plenty of spooky guitar. There’s even a cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Still Miss Someone” that twists its country roots through the Eric-Amy blender.