Five years following the death of the lead singer/guitarist Phil Healy, the Knobs have reformed to release a serious statement of hope and sadness with “Breakup and Die.” The Knobs, are heavily influenced by The Beach Boys, The Kinks and Wilco, but the band sounds closer here to the hushed sounds of Eric Matthews playing with The Jayhawks. It’s no surprise the gem of the album is “Dublin Sky on New Year’s Eve.” It’s a perfectly tight song full of rich jangley guitars and a catchy chorus. The band also features Steve Chesser (whose most excellent Bos Taurus CD I reviewed a while ago). The studied sadness of “Room With the Fire Escape” shows off the anguished honesty, and the band’s gorgeous musicianship. Some of the heart wrenching lyrics in “After All It’s Been A While” and “Say Goodnight” almost beg the less sober of us to belly up to the bar. But it’s not all a downer here, as the lush pop arrangements prove what a talented songwriter Healy was, and both guitarists Phil Young and Ken Herblin perform each song with loving care here. While this is not a “happy” pop album, it is most definitely a well crafted one. Worth noting, the fastest paced song here is the bouncy irony of “If Died In A Car Crash,” (exactly how Phil Healy was killed). My favorite ballad here “The Way is Up,” as it echoes Neil Young’s sound slightly and provides the ethereal hope toward the albums end.
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