Ryan Ferguson - Only Trying to Help - CD (2007)

Labels: Better Looking
Review by: Andy Malcolm

Hey, it’s an album by a dude from No Knife. On Better Looking Records, who have put out a few decent things over

the years. So let’s give it a go! It’s probably worth a listen, right? Sadly, no. I was hooked into this by one

song on the Myspace page, the opening track “Remission”, which is a soaring indie pop / rock effort, driving along

nicely. It reminds very slightly of newer Jimmy Eat World, except maturer. It’s a really good pop song. And “X’s and O’s” reminds me of the Wrens very briefly. Sadly, bar those two moments and a few other all too brief flings later on, Mr. Ferguson dispenses with all the qualities that make this a good song over the rest of what I can only describe as an exceptionally bland album. Listening to it on a decent stereo setup at least reveals that it is well produced, but beyond that you have lifeless songs, limp tunes, small balls, and not enough effort. Surely if you were in No Knife you’d at least be able to apply a bit of drive to your music. Nope. Not a jot. Hugely disappointing album.