Staff Reviews

Papa M - Highway Songs

Review by Adam Turner-Heffer

An underwhelming experiment with moments of greatness»

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Slint's David Pajo releases a new solo album as Papa M. It's his first solo album since 2009's 'Scream With Me' (as Pajo), and his first Papa M album since the 2004 compilation 'Hole of Burning Alms'. The new album is called 'Highway Songs' and released via Drag City. David Pajo has been writing lines on the guitar since he was a bitty little kid. And now that he's grown up to be a bitty little man, what's he gonna do, change? If you think so, you don't know Pajo - or as he's been known to sometimes go, Papa M. The instrumental sounds he's made in the name of these names - on albums with names like 'Live From a Shark Cage' and 'Whatever, Mortal' - implied danger, violence and total alienation, alongside a peaceful, easy, good-willin' and wide streak of broke-toothed black humor. So, after those classic albums followed by a long silent phase, we've now got 'Highway Songs'. With each encroaching moment of 'Highway Songs', it sounds to us more and more like good old Papa M, as David throws back the veil of tears from recent times to bear witness to miasmic mood-clouds passing not over but through him. Music from where the mind goes when the body is broken. Reflecting time spent hooked up to machines.
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