Pete Yorn - Back & Fourth
23 June 09
Review by Liz Kelly

It's been 3 years since Pete Yorn graced us with a new album. Produced in Omaha by Mike Mogus (the genius behind every indie band you've listened to in the past 5 years) Back & Fourth seemlessly blends the midwest with Yorn's signature style. This is definitely a Pete Yorn album, there's no question about it. But Mogus is able to bring in subtle touches and manages to get Yorn to anunciate slightly better than on previous releases - only slightly, though. Back & Fourth the title is presumably a continuation on Yorn's three albums thus far - musicforthemorningafter (far and away his best release, though this newest is the closest to being near that level), Day I Forgot, and Night Crawler, which were all meant to be successive releases that told a story.

Sadly enough, the disc starts off the yawner "Don't Wanna Cry" but quickly recovers, moving into "Paradise Cove" a dreamy, mid-tempo track which is as close to a dance number as Pete Yorn gets. Some nice guitar work makes up for lackluster lyrics of "Shotgun" and the atmosphere picks up on "Last Summer" which hints at the jangly guitars and that sound that is distcintly Pete Yorn.

The disc is pleasant enough though it lacks the intensity and new-ness of musicforthemorningafter. Thankfully, it is not as dense and awkward as Nightcrawler or Day I Forgot. You know that scene in Family Guy when they go to Purgatory? And Lois says "This isn't bad...it's not that good, but it's not that bad." The very same can be said for Back & Fourth.