When associated with a successful act, it can be hard to break out of its shadow and make it on your own. Just ask Conan O'Brien. Anybody in this scenario is always faced with the rock-and-a-hard-place dilemma of the need to find a unique style while making use of the strengths that made past collaborations so successful.
One of the latest musicians to face this quandary is Jason Boesel, drummer for Rilo Kiley and Bright Eyes, among others. On his new album Hustler's Son, Boesel does his best to carve out his own niche from all his associated acts and colleagues, but what he ends up with instead seems more like a collage that tries to encompass them all, mostly to the album's detriment, both in originality and construction.
Part of that collage is no doubt due in part to a substantial number of appearances Boesel's buddies make on the album. Bright Eyes' Nate Walcott, Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett and The Elected's Mike Bloom all show up in various capacities, and while most of their contributions are minor, they make a noticeable difference. Boesel's ties to these projects are clear from the album's sound, particularly the Conor Oberst projects he has worked on, Bright Eyes and the Mystic Valley Band. The folk-heavy song ""Hand of God"" in particular would have been right at home in Oberst's catalogue, and it clicks pretty well for Boesel, too, though its lack of originality doesn't help its cause.
Boesel makes sure to show his Rilo Kiley classic pop influences as well on tracks like ""French Kissing"" and ""Miracles"" but here fails to bring the same level of ease and comfort seen on ""Hand of God."" It doesn't help that Boesel's strengths simply are not tailored for these kinds of songs. Boesel is a talented lyricist, which is one reason why he slips into Oberst's mold so easily, but his songwriting talents don't quite allow him to create a full, deep sound like ""Miracles"" tries to pull off. He also doesn't have the benefit of Jenny Lewis' seductively adorable voice, which helps redeem some of Rilo Kiley's weaker efforts. Instead, Boesel's voice sounds like an amalgamation of M.Ward and Dan Bern, which is perfectly compatible with his sound but doesn't allow him to lift any tracks up to a different level.
It's when Boesel strips his songs down to the bare minimum that Hustler's Son is most successful. The standout track, ""Was It, Man,"" begins with nothing but Boesel and his guitar, gradually adding accompaniment until it reaches the most subtle crescendo and decrescendo imaginable. ""New World Mama"" also ups the quality a bit with its similar skin and bones feel and mellow, peaceful tone. Hustler's Son actually could have been an excellent acoustic album if Boesel had just been a little less ambitious and stuck with this style.
But ultimately the biggest problem with Hustler's Son is a troublesome paradox. Boesel has created a playlist made out of seemingly disparate pieces from various influences that just don't mesh, yet somehow everything still blurs together with even the standout songs getting lost in the fray. The entire album lacks the focus needed to create some level of cohesion, and if Boesel can't stop himself from straying over the course of one album, it's hard to expect any listener to do better. Drifting from the spare ""New World Mama"" to the heavier ""Miracles"" to the Randy Newman-inspired title track, then switching to the Southwestern staccato musings of ""Getting Healthy (Good Luck)"" is a recipe for awkward bemusement, not a quality solo album.
While the lack of a personal unique sound doesn't help Hustler's Son, the fatal flaw is simple structure. What Boesel has created with this album is something akin to a city bus. Certain songs make it look like the album is really rolling, but it always ends up taking a stop that breaks up the momentum, almost like clockwork. Maybe buses work well for Boesel, but in this case, he probably should have taken a taxi instead.
