the scoldees
My Pathetic Life (Off Hour Rockers)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Though Nancy Sirianni sings great lines like "I can't believe I'm making music out of my pathetic life," I CAN believe it. These songs are about all of our lives, save for those few people who live charmed existences. The lyrics of these songs cover a lot of ground, familiar yet uniquely presented, from simple desires to that eternal question: "is this all there is?" You've probably heard it screamed a zillion times by angry teens in punk bands, but the scoldees present it all in a misty dreamscape of sweet harmony, enchanting guitars and the most fluid bass I've heard in ages. Melancholy never sounded so fine. Sirianni's lyrics have just enough humor infused within to keep My Pathetic Life from being a downer, while guitarist Jack Hoffmann's music counters perfectly, holding the ship on its ethereal course at all times. With music this rich and subjects such as just not wanting to get out of bed, I guess you could call this angst music for grownups. The fact that Sirianni's husband is Howard Stern accomplice Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling makes for neato trivia, but the scoldees' music really does just fine without that hook. My Pathetic Life is available only on the Internet, where you can order a CD or download it in its entirety or by the song. Head to www.scoldees.com for more information and to check out some sound clips.

© 1999 - DJ Johnson