CMJ

Delta Clutch

(Too Normal, Too Weird)

"Competent" is the operative adjective here - competent indie pop with a rootsy after-twang executed with an emphatic nod to the new wave essentials (Elvis Costello, early U2, etc.). Producer Tim O'Heir (Superdrag, Sebadoh) lent a steady hand to five of the EP's seven tracks, which ups the competency ante considerably - to the point where you have to wonder why, with three releases on its own label and a reputation as a live act of considerable soul and substance, this Boston quintet isn't farther along. Obviously, Delta Clutch aspires to more than just a C average, and there are moments on Too Normal, Too Weird where the band's arty ambitions - especially that of its talented lead singer and star-in-waiting, Pip - strain against a somewhat routine bar-rock foundation. The results can be surprisingly cathartic. Take the title track, for example: A billowy monument to self-pity propelled by a blustery arrangement, '70s-style twin guitars and gorgeous high-register piano runs, it's the perfect bittersweet balance of ache and epic - and hopefully an accurate forecast of things to come.
- Hobart Rowland: CMJ New Music Report Issue: 698 - Jan 22, 2001