-         “So, what do you think of me ?”

-         “Well I don’t know” I said uncomfortably. “I’m kinda disappointed”

-         “Why ?” answered Free Sentridoh: songs from Loobiecore. “C’mon, don’t let you be fooled by this fake lo-fi fashion, I am true, sincere lo-fi.”

-         “I know. I agree but, for example, if The Moldy Peaches haven’t invented 4-tracks albums, their cd is fresh and amusing”.

-         “Don’t talk about these bloody cribbers. They stole a Velvet song (‘After Hours’) and they stole lyrics from Sebadoh 3 and made their best song with them (‘I’m starting to feel ok’).

-         “I agree with you concerning ‘After Hours’ but don’t you think you are overreacting?? I mean I think they really had in mind what they wanted to do before recording but I won’t affirm that they stole lyrics…”

-         “They fuckin’ did !” Free Sentridoh started to get excited. “I can’t believe that you prefer these cribbers to Sentridoh.”

-         “Oh, take it easy and don’t get me wrong, I still listen to the first Sentridoh from time to time and I’m still a big fan of Freed Weed, probably the best album of lo-fi indie (along with Julius Caesar by Smog and, of course Hi How Are You ? by Daniel Johnston).” I have to admit that I was embarrassed. I’m a true, a die-hard Sebadoh fan and I like Lou Barlow’s songs on his own as well. “Anyway, let’s not make a debate about lo-fi, please.”

-         “Then, why don’t you like me ?” said the album, with a thrill in the voice.

-         “Well, most of your tracks sound alike. None is awful but you can’t pretend to contain only wonderful songs. You know you can’t.”

-         “OK, I know but I’m sincere and L.B.’s songs, be they in Sebadoh or Sentridoh, have always worked because they were sincere, haven’t they ?” he said, upset.

-         “Yeah, I guess so but most of your songs lack energy or something I would call the “destroying-songs attitude” when Lou have fun destroying a wonderful song by stopping it after 1 minute and strings it with noises, classical music, people talking or whatever else in a John Lennon’s ‘Revolution 9’ way (Double White). Let’s call it odd jobs. There are not many good odd jobs and the only song which is built around that (‘A songfull/ rehole’) is rather dull. Most of these odd jobs consist of 2 seconds at the beginning and the end of the tracks”

-         “I know. I’ve already said that to myself. The other albums are better than me. Anyway, my writer is a complete loser” painfully uttered Free Sentridoh.

-         “No, you can’t say that. I won’t let you” I protested in a peremptory tone. “Well, that’s partly true if we consider that he has been more successful with his side-project (Folk Implosion: the great song ‘Natural One’ on the Kids soundtrack) than with Sebadoh despite exceptional albums (Vs Helmet, Bakesale or Harmacy for instance). I know that Folk Implosion has just been dropped off by Interscope but you are tough. In addition, you contain a song entitled “Don’t call me writer”, why do you call him so, huh ?”

-         “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to” replied the album in an apologizing tone. “No one likes me. I feel like that fucking little duck…”

-         “That’s ok.” I said to comfort him. “Don’t cry, you’ve got some very good songs though. ‘Don’t call me Writer’ is very touching.”

-         “You must be joking. It’s just another assertion of his helplessness: “I let Methamphetamine burn a hole in my brain, the part of my brain that wrote the songs, when all of my confidence had jumped the fence and moved along.” That’s what he says”.

-         “You’re too hard on him. I think it is an awareness of his failures and it’s really touching, he also sings: “Gonna have to get a job one day, gonna have to fill up the resume, what would I put there after 15 years of traveling, drinking, getting high (…)” And what about the feeling of despair that he manages to convey when he sings “oh, no no no…”?”

-         “OK, that’s true but what other songs do you like ?”

-         “’Impulse’ is still dealing with smoking weed I guess but it is quite good. ‘Ride a horse, build a throne’, ‘Open door war’, ‘Up from the well’ and ‘Moutain on the hill’ remind me of Freed Weed, Winning Losers and 23 songs. ‘None of your goddamn business’ and ‘I love my momma’ are gentle confessions, not as intense as say, ‘Willing to Wait’, but still sweet and moving. ‘What would Jesus do?’ is endowed with good lyrics and it reminds me of this song on Lou Barlow and His Sentridoh called ‘No one told me’ in which L.B. says ‘Don’t be so sure a hero could make you come’ and ‘What would Jesus do ?’ on Sebadoh’s The Freed Weed.

-         So what don’t you like me for ?

-         You’ve got too much songs (23) and they are not necessarily well laid-out. Some of them are quite boring (‘U can drive’, ‘Blue sunshine’, ‘That kind of year’, ‘No more parties’, ‘Girls come first’, etc.). Your odd jobs aren’t inventive enough.

-         (…)

-     Come on. Don’t brood and don’t be sulky, L.B. will do better next time.

-SEB WOOd

/oct 15th 2002/