Tommy Keene

The Real Underground, Pt. 2? Well, no, not quite. While that fabled compilation pulled together the cream of Tommy Keene's superb early indie-label work, Drowning is devoted to unreleased material, seasoned with some rare cuts that even obsessive fans have probably missed over the years (flexidisc giveaway tunes, Japanese bonus tracks, contributions from out of print compilation albums). Also, while The Real Underground had a remarkably high batting average, the nature of Drowning makes it significantly less consistent, though given how talented Keene is as a guitarist and songwriter, there isn't anything here that could honestly be called a dud. Keene has thrown a few oddball experiments into the mix, including "Karl Marx" (a psychological analysis in the guise of a pop song), "Tell Me Something" (Tommy gets funky and doesn't embarrass himself in the process), and "Lover's Lies" (the liner notes suggest Keene has no fond memories of the drum machine used on this number). There are a few lost classics along the way -- the title cut was written for Songs from the Film and would have been a fine fit for that album, while the demo for "Where Have All Your Friends Gone" is a real gem with a ripping guitar solo despite the rough recording. Keene has also included notes on each song that are both informative and witty, and his photography that graces the package is nearly as impressive as the music. These may be Keene's odds and ends, but there's still plenty of great guitar-driven pop on Drowning, and it's well worth investigating. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide