I Can Hear Music [Bonus Tracks]

Dump includes: James McNew.
James McNew's albums as Dump inspire a certain sameness in reviews. First, all write-ups mention McNew's day job as Yo La Tengo's bassist. Then three or more of the following words come into play: charming, winsome, adorable, enchanting, delightful, and irresistible. And why not? Dump's albums--1995's I CAN HEAR MUSIC is the second-are all of the above and more.
Recorded alone at home on a cheap multi-track cassette recorder, I CAN HEAR MUSIC mixes and matches across genres, so that even McNew's choice of covers-The Fugs, Bob Dylan, Fish and Roses-becomes part of a personal vision. McNew's own bouncy pop, ghostly reveries, sonic explorations, and trippy experiments are delivered in his guileless voice over casually excellent guitar, organ, and bass lines, along with drum parts whose occasional shambolic naivete can be a large part of their charm. There's that word again. I CAN HEAR MUSIC is an unbelievably charming album.