After reading this from their bio, I really didn't know what to expect from this CD by Ness: "Describing 'You Can’t Afford To Feel' is like opening a Pandora’s box of chimerical rock metaphors. Its unholy mixture of classic pop and epic reach is like Ray Davies wearing chain mail and jousting a tower of Vox AC30s, or Todd Rundgren daydreaming with a 23-sided die stuck in his ear."
One thing was for sure - this was going to be an interesting and unique listening experience. "You Can't Afford To Feel" passes with flying colors in this regard - I've not heard anything quite as varied, ambitious, and experimental since early Pink Floyd. Brainchild behind the project, Rick Ness, has no shortage of musical influences that he's managed to pay tribute to through his own hybrid music. It is quite astounding how he can sound like Jason Falkner (while in The Grays) on some tracks, like the Beach Boys on other tracks, and then the Beatles or The Who on other tracks. Often you can hear his plethora of influences right in the same song! Ness is a bold pioneer, pushing the musical envelope with experimental sounds and unorthodox song structure. One opus, “The Future Used To Be Cool” clocks in at over 24 minutes and truly feels more like a trek beyond the galaxy rather than another routine lap around the sun.
"You Can't Afford To Feel" is an awesome ride, one best experienced in its entirety with headphones. However, there are a few standout tracks that also play well in isolation, including the brilliant and soaring opener, "Where's Guns?", "I Intend", and "Pretty White".
This CD is not commercial. It is not radio friendly. It is a work of art.
iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 7
Ness on MySpace.
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