Oh, good lord. This has to be one of the worst album covers I've seen in a very long time. I'm talking years. The curly-mopped Canadian piano-pop tunesmith, Mr Evin, wearing a yellow pinstripe shirt, grinning in a deeply unsettling manner, offering a slice of watermelon toward the camera - so close that it's almost completely out of focus, and may be a green-edged slice of meat dripping with blood - adorns the front of the CD. Is he offering us some 'good watermelon'? His expression makes me worry that it's actually laced with arsenic and it's all a part of his secret psychotic plan.
Of course, I may be completely misjudging him. After all, he has worked with members of Barenaked Ladies and members of Ron Sexsmith's touring band, and his 'call-and-response singalongs' have earned him much airplay on campus and community radio throughout Canada.
But none of this really makes me want to actually play the album. Nor does the fact that the opening track's called 'Great Pop Song,' or that there's a song with the excruciating title of 'Rockin' Receptionist' lurking in the track-listing. But I have a duty to give a fair review, and that entails actually hearing the music.
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I have to admit that I've heard far worse. As a collection of songs, 'Good Watermelon' is upbeat, chirpy melodic piano-led pop and boogie-woogie, the live in the studio approach keeping a spontaneous feel to the songs. It sounds like Mike and his musical chums had fun recording it, and I'm sure plenty of people will have fun listening to it. I'm afraid to say, though, that I'm not one of them. The style just isn't my cup of tea - or choice of fruit - and for this reason, I'll be passing on that slice of melon, thanks.
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