"Rainin [4AM]" really struck me right in the heart. The tenderness; the emotions; the purity; and, most of all, the honesty that pours out of every note is right there and in your face; not to mention the pop hooks, which are always a plus. Other songs like "Offstreet Parking," "MacArthur Park Revisited," and "Cereal Song" all have the same elements that made "Rainin [4AM] so good. They're straight from the heart, honest, and fun. It seems like Forrest is really enjoying himself again and that this is what he wants to do. It does not sound like a chore or a failed attempt at breaking out of the stale life he's in.

The vocals took me a while to get into. They're a bit feminine at parts, which doesn't mix well with the solid pop hooks and the underlined rock beats. But, they're so pure and honest (with lines like "I'm thirty-five years old now/ I wash dishes in a restaurant" from "Cereal Song") that you can't help but enjoy them no matter what. And, since I put so much into the lyrics, I soon forgot about the voice (which grew on me) and really got into this album. It's well structured, powerful, and gripping. What more could you ask for? I'll give it a B+.

Bicycle Thief, The: You Come And Go Like A Pop Song

Bif Naked: Purge

[Issue Twenty-Five // November 1999]