plreview

"There's a place musicians go when they've been around; too bad there's hardly ever any drummers there. But Long Beach duo Poverty level can do without, plucking out minimal acoustic guy-on-bass/girl-on-guitar pop that's as refined as one of those top-shelf bottles of whiskey. They like Elvis Costello and X and show it. Fortunately or no, bassist Gene Whitright has a voice that dips from a strident Costello to a twitchy David Thomas of Pere Ubu fame ("I Don't Wanna Be Like That" sits down on the happy side of "sentimental Journey" or "Humor Me") or Frank Black to--and we hate to say it, but we know the masses need a reference--Tenacious D's Jack Black. But unlike Tenacious D, Poverty Level makes real music that's funny to your brain, not just your bonghole. Songs like "I, Rodan" or "Dr. Thompson" might be portraits of people hanging by their fingertips, but it's still precariously hilarious--who knew your drab, frustrating life had so much in common with a movie monster? And penultimate "For The Life Of Me" shuffles together the Blue Orchids' post-industrial (the society, not the genre) blahs with Camper Van Beethoven's bleary-eyed kind-of blues. "Underground music is the new disco/Quiet is NOT the new loud/Kiss my ass/I'm going out for a smoke/It's the last real vice I have left," sings Gene. One day, we'll be that dignified!"

By da bookman on November 20, 2006 - Music For America (musicforamerica.org)

Test My Faith (Poverty Level) by Good Citizen reminds me of the kind of rock albums I listened to as a kid and learned to love as I became exposed to other forms of music. The first track, "Strange Little Man", sound a bit like Elvis Costello if he was raised in the rural South, while other songs show shades of The Grateful Dead, The Blasters, Laura Nyro, and Loggins & Messina. Each song is different from the one which came before, so one can't easily fall into a comfort zone until after the album is over. Good Citizen (Gene Whitright, Dina Predisik, and Carrie Barrios) are remarkable musicians who are able to create any soundscape, and they sound very comfortable with each other.

The group have also tried a different formula with The Dave Williams Sessions by working with the aforementioned Williams, and creating songs which go into hip-hop, jazz, and trip-hop/down tempo territory. Williams brings into the mix a funky groove reminiscent of the hip-hop/jazz unions of the early 1990's brought forth by the likes of Guru. Sadly, The Dave Williams Sessions is a 22-minute EP, it would have been nice if they had released another 22 minutes or so. If one was to hear one or the other, and then heard the other, they would find it hard to believe they originate from the same core of three musicians. It would be nice to say that each CD compliment each other, but they don't, they are two totally different audible animals. Yet by listening to them back to back, you're able to sense talent and creativity in action, the type that should be playing in bigger venues. If they are willing to try out these styles, one can only wonder what a Good Citizen live show would be like.