A decade ago, Lemonheads lead vocalist Evan Dando was frequently mentioned in the same breath as his friend Kurt Cobain. Both made the transition from indie celebrity to pin-up, both were uneasy with their new-found celebrity, both had a ruinous liking for hard drugs. Today, however, Cobain is the stuff of legend, while Dando is practically forgotten.
His first album since 1996 reflects his new-found sobriety, its country-rock sound revealing that his melodic sense is happily undimmed. The simple lyric to In the Grass All Wine Colored floats along in a gorgeous summery haze. The standout track is Hard Drive, written by Ben Lee, the former lead singer of 1990s Australian band Noise Addict, who were best known for a paean to Dando called I Wish I Was Him. Hard Drive is complimentary in an entirely different way: a heartfelt hymn to settling down, it captures the mood of a lovely, understated album.
