Musicforthemorningafter
The phonograph crackling that opens Pete Yorn's debut album is an appropriate gesture for an artist hailed as the best thing to come out of South Jersey sinceBruce Springsteen. Actually, Yorn doesn't sound a thing like Springsteen, but he does possess a classic pop craftsmanship shared by tradition-minded singer-songwriters such asNeilson HubbardandElliot Smith. On the cool, infectious "Life on a Chain," Yorn's relaxed crooning evokes the spirit ofBruce Cockburn, while "Simonize," ostensibly a love song penned by Jack the Ripper, calls to mindBig Star-periodAlex Chilton. Rhythmically, the part-time drummer and multi-instrumentalist (he scored the Farrelly brother's movieMe, Myself and Ireneand plays most of the instruments here himself) leans toward the drone lilt of earlyNew OrderandJoy Division, resulting in a smooth fusion of American and Anglo influences that make Yorn a new artist well worth watching.--Bill Forman