Sad Man Happy Man captures a crafty songwriter and lyricist in his element.
Displaying an eclectic mixture of Mike Doughty's prior influences and newfound experimentation, the songs are simply appealing. In this, his fourth studio album, Andrew Livingston is brought in on the cello to accompany Doughty's own drum programming, keyboards and acoustic guitar playing.Sad Man exudes optimism in contrast to Doughty's slightly heavy-hearted past. The album opens with "Nectarine (Part Two)," a sequel to the love story first set up on the album Golden Delicious. Fans will rejoice to see Doughty return from pop and once again bestow his best talents upon listeners. Characterized by softer melodies, this album pushes his choruses to the forefront.
"(I Keep On) Rising Up" verges on repetition, offset only by string work and electric augmentation that come together to form a catchy tune. "Lorna Zauberberg" infuses distorted vocal bits into instrumental sections for an original sound.
Unraveling another tale of love, the feel-good acoustic melody swings back and forth. Mike Doughty distinguishes himself from other artists with such experimentation and a lyrically intense acoustic style that can be off-putting at first. It has, however, earned him a devoted following. "(I Want To) Burn You (Down)" is classic example of this, offering some self-reflection while empathizing with the everyday struggle to identify one's self.
In Doughty's previous work, the instrumentation was prominent and edgy, propelling such songs as "Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well" and "Unsingable Name." He strives for more of the same in "Lord Lord Help Me Just to Rock Rock On," but he doesn't grasp the same formula that transformed "Bottom of the Well" into a heavily-played single.
"How to F--k a Republican" is guaranteed to warrant a listen if only for its title, but merely provides simple insight into Doughty's take on corporate Republican women. Finishing off the album is a playful cover of Daniel Johnston's "Casper the Friendly Ghost" that feels askew and failed to merit a second listen through.
Mike Doughty is not your typical acoustic soloist thriving on a niche of confident bravado. His folk rock tunes are injected with poetic yet stingy lyrics. With a sound akin to that of Bob Schneider or Jack Johnson, his albums provide an ideal soundtrack for hours of studying. Sad Man Happy Man may not produce a top-20 radio single, but you can still enjoy the eclectic beats and lyrical prose.
