Adrian Teacher and The Subs
Sorta Hafta (Independent)
Enter the weird and wonderful mind of Adrian Teacher. The former Apollo Ghost, member of Cool TV and all around prolific songwriter, has a mind filled with more hooks than a Much Dance ‘95 compilation. Sorta Hafta is short and sweet, literally: it's only eleven minutes long.
Taking a softer, less punk/funk approach than his previous outfits, Teacher leans on the laissez-faire side of life with songs like the Spanish guitar-filled ditty "One Thing Your Money Couldn't Buy" and "Let's Call in Sick". The sparing production lends well to Teacher's songs, allowing his melodic gift to shine through. Take "When Did I Get Older", which could easily trace its roots to Loaded-era Velvet Underground, or "Old Graffiti", a mellow duet with Julie Doiron that sits somewhere between sunset and twilight.
Every song on Sorta Hafta is undeniably delightful. The only dig? With melodies this good and lyrics this strong, you're left wanting more. At the rate Adrian Teacher is going, you sorta won't hafta wait too long for what's next.
Rating: ★★★★ (out of five)
