The Justice

The former Moldy Peach, who began performing at age 14, is still at it, 13 years later. Courtesy of Beggars Group.

Adam Green's rich, mature voice is deliciously listenable, and his songs have always been catchy, if not deep; the tracks off his new album Sixes & Sevens are no different. As usual, Green's music is surprisingly jazzy with injections of gospel and country, an eclectic mix of Burt Bacharach, Belle & Sebastian and They Might Be Giants. But ultimately, and despite his talent, Green's newest effort is only inconsistently pleasing.

When Green is on, he's really on. The brooding, moody Lou Reed-esque vocals of "Getting Led" combined with more gospel and tripping high notes are addictively entertaining, as are the swinging melodies of "Tropical Island." The duet "Drowning Head First" carries the same quirk as the now-perpetual "Anyone Else But You" (prominently featured on the Juno soundtrack), and "Leaky Flask" is one of those tunes I now hum while doing chores. Green's lyrics can be abruptly hilarious, as with "Broadcast Beach" and its eminently quotable declaration that "hepatitis caught me off my guard." All these tracks, as well as another personal favorite, "Exp. 1," have one thing in common: They are strange with sprezzatura. Adam Green's persona is so off-beat, so shamelessly weird that we can't help but take him as he comes and bop along to "When A Pretty Face" with him.

While I love when he's strange, I hate when he tries to be. Comparing "Morning After Midnight" to "That Sounds Like A Pony" shows that quirky lyrics set to catchy oldies melodies trump spoken-word poetry set to background noise every time. Part of the problem is that much of what Green does well reminds me of someone else. "You Get So Lucky" is a jazzy Grateful Dead with pan pipes, and it is absolutely lovable. The courageously named "Twee Twee Dee" could have been "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate for the first few bars. The jury's still out on this one, but imagining Burt Bacharach covering Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" gives an accurate impression of the song. In the end, Green's patchwork of styles makes me wonder if he's too wrapped up in the wonder of being quirky for his own good.

My guess is that this will be the kind of album from which each listener picks some favorite songs to purchase from iTunes. Most tracks on Sixes & Sevens are under three minutes long, perfect for inserting into a mix. I've definitely got my favorites, like "Homelife," which would be irrepressibly boring were it not for some awesome string work, and the aforementioned "When A Pretty Face." To listen to Adam Green at his best is to revel in all that is whimsical or awkward about oneself. He's a geek with the voice of a lounge singer, combining sincerity with playfulness, and when this strategy works, the result is wonderful. When it does not work, it is easy to brush off yet another unlistenable bit of anti-folk and move on to the next viable track.

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