Hayden

June 20 - June 27, 1 9 9 6
[Off the Record]

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*1/2 Hayden

EVERYTHING I LONG FOR

(Outpost/Geffen)

In this month's Spin, Hayden explains, "Instead of keeping a diary, I've made songs into little stories . . . it's the stuff that made me who I am." This is both Hayden's boon and his bane. His lyrics and his pared down folk-grunge are refreshing in their lack of presumption. On the other hand, he is your average product of Canadian suburbia, and his life events (the source of his inspiration) are pretty boring. His groggy voice and lead-handed acoustic guitar beg for deep-rooted angst; instead, we get couplets like "I gotta go to the grocery store/Find someone I adore." The simple AAAA rhyme scheme comes off sincere for the first few songs, but halfway through the album, his throaty monosyllables just get whiny.

When Hayden takes some risks, as he does on "Driveway," his style becomes a lot fuller. Squealing instead of droning, he mixes in one of the album's rare drum tracks, which makes it easier to ignore those lyrics. He certainly isn't offensive -- his biggest challenge to the establishment comes when he urges us to play hooky with a loved one in "In September." But his calculated naïveté and good spirits quickly become inane.

-- Rachel Stokoe