Discover America – Psychology

When his former band, twothirtyeight, broke up in 2003, singer/songwriter Chris Staples wasn’t done what he wanted to do it. He still had the urge and the need to create captivating music and so he went to work. He started writing, recording, producing and engineering his own songs and with the help of his former label, Tooth And Nail Records, Staples was able to put those songs together into one CD and release it.

The release is called Psychology, and it features ten songs of americana influenced indie rock full of its ups and downs. And although Discover America is a one man band, it is anything but one dimensional. The perfect example of that is in the album opener, and by far best track, Call It In The Air. With the drum machine, acoustic guitar, organ, and Staples soothing vocals, the song flows perfectly at mid-tempo and is just begging to be played again and again. The moving and simple chorus gets caught in your head right away and the simple tactic of stomping it flat with a little cough before heading back into the song just kicks it forward that much more.

Most of the songs has that same mid-tempo tone to them, but each has something unique to them. Like the much more technical and futuristic songs Green Eyes about a girl going for the odd guy out (I Don’t have the clothes, I don’t have the hair. But I know what’s going on and I’m self-aware, and for some weird reason that means more to you than what any two-bit scene kid could say). Or the old fashioned folksy Shiny Teeth or the simple acoustic song of From The 100th Floor.

Although Staples shows some good promise here on Psychology, it does have some moments which will surely bore the listener. As it gets to the end, you find yourself wanting it to come to an end as soon as possible. It’s not necessarily bad, just gets boring and repetitive after a while. If only there were more songs like the somber Call It In The Air, then it would be worth the money, because as it stands, its a little too nonchalant.