Doesn’t really roll off the tongue does it? I’m guessing that’s on purpose.

We’ve discussed and reviewed Nathan Meltz before, a force behind several groups in the local Albany/Troy underground pop collective. The title of this record is a sequel to the equally good pop record ‘Sing More Songs About Failed Utopias from 2022’ (which we reviewed back then at https://timesboredom.com/2022/10/29/nathan-meltz-and-the-house-of-tomorrow-sing-more-songs-about-failed-utopias/). This one was released in 2023 — please forgive the lateness of our reply.

Like its predecessor, this record is full of quirky lo-fi pop goodness. Catchy and well produced for a lo-fi record; it’s got that classic trying not to sound too polished that’s starting to sound pretty damned polished at this point but still doesn’t have to use any autotune or other omnipresent crap on most twenty-first century records.

Nathan as often is joined by other luminaries of the Troy scene on this record that make up his ‘HOT’ (House of Tomorrow) band; Kim Tateo, Brady Potts, Chris Brown (we know him!), Dan Prockup, and Connor Armbruster (who DOESNT know him — say Connor when are you sending us a record?)

Tackling issues from the Source Family to Emma Goldman (we’re guessing Nathan’s been watching some documentaries), everything is couched in the classic House of Tomorrow pop hooks that get richer and catchier with every listen. And lots of making fun of hippies in a not so tongue in cheek manner — ‘The Farm’ is clearly about an old school sixties farm collective

“Come down to the farm in Tennesee
Communal cosmic energy
Smoking dope dropping LSD
It’s better than Haight-Ashbury!”

This song reminds me of Smog making fun of crummy punk bands in the nineties; but Mr. Meltz clearly has no boundaries for how old or obscure the source material for his ironic humorous songs are. Even far back to where some Phish fans unfortunately really do still live.

Meltz also bears many similarities to his fellow pop auteurs in the Troy area; specifically one can’t help but hear the influence of the seminal Jason ‘Wolfman’ Martin. But his songs are also clearly rooted in the eastern Massachusettes lo-fi indie rock scene like Sebadoh, Sentridoh — you know, lots of stuff Lou Barlow and people that like him are associated with. And Smog as we mentioned before, Pavement (obviously — most lead guitar riffs wouldn’t sound out of place anywhere on Slanted and Enchanted).

But then of course there’s classic 90s pop music influences baked deep within, like the R.E.M. influence that Meltz may not even know is there (“We were little boys” he repeats on Song for Piggy which SOUNDS like a Sebadoh III title but plays like a track from Murmur (“Oh, we were little boys. Oh we were little girls.”

Again, this really does remind me of its predecessor and Nathan Meltz’ other works. No real surprises here; if you like those you’re gonna like these. And if you don’t — to hell with you then!

Thanks Nathan. Send us a request to review your newer records. Whenever you get around to it. You know. If you’ve got nothing better to do.