As an Austin, Texas, native, I don't often wish I had been born anywhere else. Yet, the other day, I was telling a fellow bandmate about my childhood love of Our Lady Peace and Alanis Morisette. His response? "Oh, I didn't know you were Canadian."

Well, I'm not Canadian, but Brad Sucks, a self-proclaimed "one man band with no fans," has made me realize, once again, that I wish I lived closer to the place. He doesn't often come to the southern US for concerts, but his music is so good that I love him anyway. That's saying a lot, since I sometimes have trouble feeling connected with a musician or band until I've seen the concert.

I Don't Know What I'm Doing

I found Brad Sucks' first album, I Don't Know What I'm Doing, through magnatune.com, but he actually provides his music free of charge (encouraging donations) on his website http://www.bradsucks.net/.

His first song, "Making Me Nervous" (just click to listen), immediately got my attention, with heavy-hitting techno beats beneath a chorus of Brads and a tricked-out keyboard. One of the reasons Brad sounds so good all by himself is that he's also an accomplished open source software writer, having released several open source packages for musicians as well as having designed the default sounds for the popular instant messaging client Pidgin.

"Look and Feel Years Younger" is such an awesome song that I used to listen to it before exams in school--it has just enough rock to get me pumped up, just enough sarcasm to make me realize how ridiculous all this work is.

"I Think I Started a Trend," another of my favorite songs, is about selling out to the Man, without realizing the consequences. I love the imagery Brad uses here: "Big Belly/ Well he said he was a man from L.A./ He seemed okay, so I signed it away."

By far the most electro-driven song is "Never Get Out," a song which is just begging to be played at a forward-thinking club near you. I listened to this song far too much when I first got the album, yet I still like it.

My favorite song of Brad's, though, has got to be "Fixing My Brain." The opening line goes like this, "Rubber rooms and taking funny pills/ Filling up on notes and dollar bills/ It's the price you pay/ For feeling okay."

The song makes me think of all the psychological struggles even "normal" people go through. How far is it worth going just to "feel okay?" There's so many psychotropic medications out there, and depending on who is taking them, they might be helping or hurting. For instance--and this is merely hearsay--Ritalin has been linked with decreased creativity in those who take it ("I've been thinking about fixing my brain/ But I'm afraid I won't be the same").

Overall Impressions

I really like all of the songs on the album, and here's why--I could listen to them when studying, partying, driving, or chilling on the couch. For me, Nirvana's good for sipping beer with friends between football commercials, Home Video is good for studying or brooding (more on them later), and I daresay Josh Woodward is good for cleaning the house or chilling on the couch, but Brad Sucks--he's good anytime.

In conclusion, Brad Sucks = indie goodness that's so good you'll forget you ever cared about the distinction in the first place.

Before you head out, listen to my favorite of Brad's songs: I Command You to Be My Woman. It was initially written as a sort of joke for his friend's soon-to-be fiancee, but it turned into a sensation among his fans due to its catchiness and overwhelming wit.

Till next time,

Des