Sean Madigan Hden

Drunken men make better guitar players. Don't believe me? Listen to Sean Madigan Hoen's album The Atavan Tapes. Sean recorded this album himself using 6-track equipment in various hotels and apartments throughout Michigan.\nFor the first three tracks Sean is completely blitzed -- on his Web site he admits to being drunk -- and singing loud, unintelligible lyrics. Fortunately for Sean\'s liver, he is sober in the next few songs. However, the lyrics were, for the most part, better when I couldn't make out what he was saying.\nThere are a few bright spots on this CD. Ironically, the best of its songs is called "Better Song." He sings, "You've heard better songs than this one, but it keeps me on tonight." And he's right. I have heard better songs than that one. In fact, just about every song I've ever heard is better -- that is, except for the other 10 tracks on his CD.\nStill, as I said before, drunken men make better guitar players. In the tracks where Sean is intoxicated, I heard some of the best guitar playing since Jim Croce's album, You Don't Mess Around With Jim. Obviously, he is not Leadbelly or Jimi Hendrix, but on the album's second track, "Don't Hide Your Mystery From Me," Sean displays extraordinary guitar playing ability. But again, this track would be amazing to listen to if not for his slurred lyrics and obtrusive voice.\nThere are one or two tracks I would almost call catchy, too. "Leaving Song II" is actually kind of cool. It even has decent lyrics, but he's sober, so he just doesn't play guitar nearly as well in the song. "Leaving Song III" has cool rhythm and music but the lyrics are completely lacking, as seems to be the trend on this album.\nSo, as Homer Simpson once so eloquently put it, "To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems." Now where'd I put my guitar...