REVIEWSWooden Wand, ‘James and the Quiet’

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• SPIN Rating:4 of 10

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Label: Ecstatic Peace

On James Jackson Toth's (allegedly) final album under the Wooden Wand moniker, the New York singer/songwriter mewls that he's been a "busy honeybee in a bucket of tar" (and considering that he's recorded 20-plus records with the freak-folk collective the Vanishing Voice already this century, that's a lot of goop). But here he cleans up his act and tries to go straight, offering sparse, lethargic guitar strum abetted by Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo (who produces) and drummer Steve Shelley. But instead of incorporating the Youth's arty, accessible noise pop, Toth simply filches Devendra Banhart's weedy croon, then turns around and sings, "We Must Also Love the Thieves."

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