Self Help or Self Indulgence

Eric Avery is a part of rock history. He started in famed rock band Jane’s Addiction with Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro, and since their break-up has played bass in various rock acts from Garbage to Alanis Morrisette. Everyone recognizes the bands he’s played in. His solo work, not so much.

Take Interpol’s throaty lyrics and ambient sound and combine it with old Jane’s Addiction guitar parts and you have Avery’s solo debut Help Wanted. Despite the great music produced by both bands, Avery’s concoction doesn’t blend well. His rock roots go deep into his music - throbbing drum lines, haunting vocals, and saucy guitar parts. This, Avery excels at. However, the addition of psychedelic and ambient elements is the downfall of this album. It sounds like Avery is trying to be like the popular “indie” bands of today, and failing miserably. His pseudo-political chant ‘Revolution’ features a tacky acoustic guitar over Avery’s spoken word lyrics, childishly rhyming words to create a mediocre chant for no more violence that would put any anti-war advocate to sleep. It’s a strange blend between Avery’s roots and his future ambitions, and it just hasn’t melded well yet. A few tracks show potential for his solo career such as the funky track ‘Porchlight,’ but ultimately fall short.

Three of Avery’s past collaborators, Shirley Manson, Chili Pepper’s bassist Flea, and Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins make special appearance on the album, and their tracks are the saving grace of Help Wanted. Manson’s emotional duet with Avery on ‘Maybe’ is the only thing that saves the song, riddled with synth strings and oddly-fitting xylophone work, while Flea’s trumpet work on ‘Song in the Silence (The Man Who Could Fly Pt. 7)’ is both rare and welcomed. Perhaps Avery works best with others, and not by himself? Maybe he could be the new Carlos Santana of the indie rock world. As for him going solo, he’s going to need some more help.

Amy Dittmeier