Mike Donovan’s album, Wot, isn’t exciting, but it’s a decent listen. Before his solo debut, Donovan was a member of Sic Alps, a noise pop group from California. While Sic Alps were renowned for their energetic performances and ’90s lo-fi and psychedelic sound, Donovan has progressed to a more subdued acoustic vibe.
His transition from producing upbeat noise has been interesting to say the least. Wot’s primarily a lovelorn album lamenting lost affections. With soft weepy strums, “Still In Town” laments, “I pack my things a dozen times/Pack is all I do /Yes, I’m still in town/I’m still around/And I’m still in love with you.” As Donovan stumbled through heartbreak, I started to get bored, especially after self-pitying lines like, “how can I leave when all the roads lead back to you?”
Not all of Wot is weepy and self-pitying though. “Do Do Ya” is a catchy—really upbeat—fun track that uses only a few key riffs and “MP3 Farm” is practically a hoedown. Wot’s opener, “New Fieldhand Bop,” initially sets the tone for stripped down sound and repetitive melodies. The tracks following “Bop” only serve to signify this.
While it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I think Donovan’s departure from his former garage noise band character shouldn’t happen all at once. He’s much stronger as an artist when he’s surging you through tunnels of funk and fun. Overall, Wot does show that Donovan can do an OK job at making some twangy heartbroken tunes. If you want to absentmindedly study for finals and listen to music without making an effort, you could do worse.
Grade: C-
