The Haywards: Side One/One Side

David Enright, GD Mills, Jason Clohecy, and Lisa Walker are the Haywards, creating very barren pop that brings to mind Spoon in some respects, especially during “A Lot of People Fall in Love in the Key of C”, while “Fool Frame” has a lush yet folksy quality to it, a la an acoustic Pulp. Enright sounds like the second coming of J.C. (Jarvis Cocker) during the lazy but pretty “Drool Cap” that works quite well. At other times, there’s a dreamy, heady vibe oozing out of “Blindspot”, bringing to mind early Pink Floyd (R.I.P. Syd), circa “Fat Old Sun” or “Fearless”. From there, they move into a great pop format with a gorgeous ditty entitled “I Meant Well” that sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain sans the wall of guitar. The album is extremely challenging at times, with no true pop songs here, just a string of great tracks. The lovely “When You Wrung Yourself Out” could be construed as the National performing “A Day in the Life”. Enright also pokes fun at some of the recent doomsday scenarios on “Y2K5 Bug” that has a sweet, folk pop feeling to it as Walker keeps the beat going along swimmingly. But he even manages to outdo himself with the dark and world weary “God Vs.”. Walker gives a harmony vocal during “Watch” that again shines despite the Velvet Underground feeling. This is an album that isn’t cookie-cutter but comes out oh so sweet.