So I've rolled up my shirt sleeves and sat my ass in front of the computer screen. I've primed my fingers to write something cute or creative. Nothing has come. Sorry About Dresden has me stumped. Their music is so uninspiring, it's jolted me into writer's block. Let's just get this over with.

Sorry About Dresden (SAD) is a five-piece ensemble from North Carolina that specializes in guitar-heavy indie rock. The music definitely has more mainstream appeal than your average hipster geeks. The focus is on the songwriting, a blend of pop melodies and growling relationship angst. Songs frequently end with choruses repeated as a mantra, with vocalist Matt Oberst (yes, of the notorious Oberst clan) progressively gaining more passion.

When Oberst wants you to feel his pain, it's a little too obvious-- usually delivered high and hard, at the top of his range. If I had to peg his voice, I'd say it's a cross of Dave Pirner and Elvis Costello, replete with faux British accent. I've said this numerous times before, but I will repeat it here: there is, unequivocally, no point to this record. Be proud of your home Tarheel State, Matt.

If I were in the mood for conspiracy theories, I'd also complain about the sequencing of the tracks. Just for kicks, picture The Convenience of Indecision as a mathematical function. If the album could be graphed, it would start fairly high, at around the 7 or 8 range (the opening track, "A Losing Season") and regress downwards with a slope of negative one, until it reaches "0" with the unimaginative throwaway closer, "A Reunion of Sorts." To put it another way, it's a top heavy album; everything worth listening to is in the first four tracks. It seems like a ruse to con music store listeners into purchasing an LP with the substance of an EP. Maybe they should title the disc, The Convenience of Capitalizing on In-Store Listening-Kiosk Impatience. Or not. But honesty would be nice.

Cutting to the chase, The Convenience of Indecision is nondescript, semi-indie rock with little to grab a hold of. Sorry about the writer's block, but Sorry About Dresden will do that to you.

-Brad Haywood, January 17th, 2002