Better Than Ezra
Closer (2001)

review by: Michael Walls
Date: 8/15/02

I think Better Than Ezra is the Millennium version of the Replacements. They continue to produce album after album of outstanding music. Yet they still seem to pass under the radar of mainstream, commercial radio. Yeah, sure, they get a song or two played on some, so called, "alternative" radio stations. But for the most part they are completely ignored by the powers-that-be in radioland.

It's a bit of a double-edged sword, though. I suppose if Better Than Ezra did get the recognition it deserves, and suddenly radio, television, and the media all started doing "Ezra" marathons - well, the BTE faithful would probably start pointing fingers and begin yelling "sellout!" I know I would.

We're all music snobs, deep down. We all like to have our secret little band that we like to brag about, as we watch others suck up what's being spoon fed on MTV. We want to tell everybody about "this amazing band", but we don't want "the band" to get too big and popular and ruin that intimate relationship. You just want them to keep making records for you and your friends.

Well, my secret little band is Better Than Ezra. And the truth is, BTE has been quietly making music for me and my friends for years, that should be mainstream, and should be flooding the airwaves. And with Closer, their fourth release, it is quite possible they could break through.

Ezra's last album, How does your garden grow? was an amazing album. While, very dark and experimental, it showed a different side of Ezra, breaking away from their previous two album of funky, insurgent country, rock sounds.

Closer is something altogether different. In my opinion, their best and most fun album to date. On this CD, BTE shows off their immense talent and wide range of musical interests, while never losing the listener's interest from first song to last. As front man Kevin Griffin sings, "I've got more hooks, than Madonna's got looks."

So true, as each song bites and drags you into it's catchy melodies. Starting off with "Misunderstood", probably the only BTE song that may sound like a BTE song. But then, the gears shift, and we're listening to "Extra Ordinary", featuring catchy hip-hop beats (courtesy of DJ Swamp) and Beck-like lyrics and sounds. A fun song.

Red Hot Chili Peppers fan? We've got "Recognize", a hard rockin', guitar-driven, stage-wrecking, song. Followed by "Sincerely, Me", an emo-ish, weezer-like, hook-laden tune, then will leave you completely fulfilled and humming. But, before you have time to label this album, Ezra eases into "Get You In" a ultra-cool, soulful tune, breaking out the old "waa-waa" guitar pedals, and making you look around for someone to hug.

I am a huge fan of How does your garden grow? And thought Better Than Ezra had peaked. At the very least, I figured their next release would be a half-hearted sequel to Garden. But instead, they've gone and set the stage for bigger and better things. Now, it's just a matter of whether the music world can get their heads out of their asses long enough to notice. For BTE's sake, I hope so. For my sake, I hope not.