★½
Pity Sex is as pity sex does, and the band’s second record is exactly the kind of limp, regrettable affair that its moniker hints at.
It’s the perfect example of first world problems writ large, all set to the kind of lo-fi guitar buzz a litany of bands perfected almost four decades ago.
There is, after all, a difference between homage and straight rip-off, and tracks like ‘A Satisfactory World For Reasonable People’ and ‘White Hot Moon’ come across like the work of a Dinosaur Jr. cover band that has forgotten J Mascis’ lyrics and has substituted in its own whiny efforts.
Elsewhere, uninspired references to Royal Trux rule the day, and the male/female verse swaps on ‘Nothing Rips Through Me’ are so humdrum they might have been more effective if sung by the one person occasionally supping on helium. Worse still, ‘Burden You’ confuses the self-effacing with the self-aggrandising, turning the track into an anthem for the kind of person who posts “If you don’t love me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best” nine times on their Facebook feed.
White Hot Moon is the album pop-lovers have always imagined we musical hipsters enjoy: a dull collection of choruses dressed up in difficulty simply for the sake of it.
Pity Sex’sWhite Hot Moonis availale now through Run For Cover/Cooking Vinyl.
