Kenny Howes - The Right Idea - 2000

Kenny Howes' first three albums -- Nothing Wrong With That, Kenny Howes' Second Album, and Back to You Today! -- were some of the most talked-about releases of the mid-'90s power pop underground, but because they were pressed in small editions, they disappeared quickly. So when Howes signed to the Atlanta-based indie Second Heaven in early 2000, the first order of business was to release The Right Idea, a remixed compilation of tracks from those three albums, plus some outtakes and rarities, like the stomping garage rock title track from the soundtrack of a little-seen indie film. The 14 tracks are a good solid overview of Howes' career, hitting most of the high points, like the Beatlesque "Thought You'd Never Go," which mixes sweet harmonies with sour lyrics in a manner not unlike fellow Georgian Stephen Fievet of LMNOP. The celebratory "Girls With Glasses" is another highlight. While Howes occasionally strays a little too far into simple revivalism, his skewed lyrical sense and fondness for brash, rough-edged production keep things on the right track. -AMG



Kenny Howes - The Right Idea - 2000/rs
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Kenny Howes - The Right Idea - 2000/sb