2000 Great Songs #1503: Right On Time
I don't know a whole lot about San Francisco singer-songwriter Chris Brown (no, not the abusive R&B singer), though according to Facebook he travels in the same circles as some of my musician friends in the area. As far as I can tell, he only has one record under his belt, 2006's Now That You're Fed , an indie label release I picked up on its release (I think after coming across his music on a compilation, but I'm not sure). It's an undiscovered gem of an album: jangly, introspective power pop that has elements of Elliott Smith , Kevin Tihista , and Matthew Sweet , more pop than power, the humble sound of a DIY artist working on his own but still pulling off some magical tunes. The lead-off track, "Right On Time," is a real wonder, an incredibly engaging melody and some striking lyrics--I'm not positive, but it has post-divorce vibes all over it. And there's something Brian Wilsonesque about the presentation, a stripped-down home recording gi...
