On the underground campus of independent rock, where Pavement taught the class and Ween smoked the syllabus, our sonic spies report that we should keep a very sharp eye on freshman Derek White. Monophobic Love is a spaghetti test where every savory noodle sticks to a surprising sound wall erected by this charming do it yourself pin up pauper from Pittsburgh.
This flourishing free agent is responsible for creating and producing everything but the actual instruments. He recorded sixteen jarring punches of piano pop like Ben Folds musically experimenting on solo psychedelics. I even hear Incredible Moses Leroy, Sean Lennon or a saner and soberer Anton Newcombe. Sheeny guitars, peachy pianos, and ambrosial falsettos stick-smack lips with high fructose corn syrup pop back to when a can of it cost a nickel. White cleverly reveals the substantial rap sheet of criminals that have stolen his hearing over the years, including Brian Wilson, Todd Rundgren, Elliott Smith, and possibly one of the Gibbs.
“Baby Baby” cheers with the righteous energy of Weezer’s “Buddy Holly” while similarly smelling like the kinky version of the Three’s Company theme song. Catchy and loose like a whore with the clap, clap, woo-woo-whap. White funks the vibe up on the disco freaker “We Can Slide” while “The Wunderful Lulliloo” is a bubonic plague of kooky kazoos and plastered pianos that hump as weird as an adult key party gone bonkers. “Mean Tambourine” could make the tight pants of Jon Spencer spin slide around to catch the zip code of where Derek White is living. White, an accomplished producer, would transcend his already staggering tunes with knob tweekers John Vanderslice, Ric Ocasek, Chris Walla, Nigel Godrich, or the soon to be sizzled yet permanently fried, Phil Spector.
Yo Flameshovel, Barsuk, Saddle Creek, or even Sub Pop, you should check this kid out. He couldn’t possibly be riskier than Beck Hansen. No one imagined that he would get one foot out of the grave, and go multi-platinum.
